As WTO Members prepare for the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Cameroon this March, WITA International is launching a new global webinar series: WTO Matters. The series will explore the core functions of the WTO, reforms needed to keep the institution effective and relevant, and the key policy issues shaping debates.
As part of this series, WITA will host two events with Ambassadors from around the world to offer their perspectives on reform of the 30-year-old institution. The February 4 event will feature Deputy USTR Joe Barloon, to talk about the United States reform proposal contained in their December 2025 communication to the WTO General Council. Ambassador Barloon will be joined by the Ambassadors of Norway, Barbados, and New Zealand in an event moderated by Angela Ellard, the former Deputy Director General of the WTO. The second reform event on February 13, will feature additional perspectives from global WTO Ambassadors.
Featured Speakers:
Ambassador Joseph Barloon, Deputy United States Trade Representative and Chief of Mission for the Permanent Mission of the United States to the World Trade Organization
Ambassador Clare Kelly, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of New Zealand to the World Trade Organization
Ambassador Petter Ølberg, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Norway to the World Trade Organization
Ambassador Matthew Wilson, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Barbados to the United Nations, World Trade Organization and other International Organizations in Geneva
Moderator: Angela Ellard, Senior Advisor (non-resident), Center for Strategic and International Studies; former Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization
Speaker Biographies
Amb. Joseph Barloon, Deputy United States Trade Representative and Chief of Mission for the Permanent Mission of the United States to the WTO
Joseph Barloon is the Deputy United States Trade Representative and Chief of Mission for the Permanent Mission of the United States to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. In addition to representing the United States at the WTO, Ambassador Barloon serves as the U.S. Trade Representative’s Senior Official in other multilateral fora, such as the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development and the Group of Seven and Group of 20 meetings.
Ambassador Barloon served as USTR General Counsel from 2019-2021. As General Counsel, he initiated and oversaw enforcement actions against trading partners, supervised U.S. litigation at the WTO, and advised the Trade Representative on all legal matters. Outside of his government service, Ambassador Barloon was a senior litigation partner at a Washington law firm for more than 15 years. He represented clients in federal courts across the country and was repeatedly ranked as a top practitioner in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. He was also a member of the adjunct faculty at Georgetown University Law Center.
Ambassador Barloon received his B.A. from Harvard University, an M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, and his J.D., Summa Cum Laude, from Georgetown University Law Center.
Ambassador Matthew Wilson, Permanent Representative of Barbados to the WTO
Matthew Wilson is the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Barbados to the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organization (WTO), and other international organizations in Geneva. Ambassador Wilson has more than 25 years of experience in trade and development.
He is the Chair of the WTO Working Group on Micro-, Small-, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs), Co-Convenor of the WTO Plastics Pollution Dialogue, Coordinator of the Geneva SIDS Ecosystem and coordinator of the ACP in Geneva. Prior to this he was Chief of Special Projects and Chief of Staff at the International Trade Centre (2013–20), Senior Adviser to the WTO Director General (2011–13), and Deputy Aid for Trade Coordinator at WTO.
He has degrees in Psychology and Sociology; International relations; Development Studies; and an MBA-Essentials. He is on the Boards of the International Gender Champions; UNCTAD’s ASYCUDA; and the Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS).
Ambassador Petter Ølberg, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Norway to the WTO
H.E. Mr. Petter Ølberg is a distinguished Norwegian diplomat with over three decades of extensive international experience. Since 2022, he has served as Norway’s Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). From 2024–2025, he was the Chair of the WTO General Council.
Prior to this, from 2017 to 2022, he held the prestigious position of Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany. His tenure in Germany was marked by significant diplomatic engagements during a period of important geopolitical developments in Europe.
Earlier in his career, Ambassador Ølberg was the Director General of the Department for Economic Relations and Development at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and also served as Director of Security. His diplomatic career has included key postings as Ambassador to Jordan and Iraq, as well as leadership roles in the MFA focused on culture, public diplomacy, and personnel management.
Ambassador Ølberg holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Oslo and speaks five languages: English, German, Spanish, French, and Russian. His broad expertise and leadership across diverse international and security matters have been a cornerstone of his distinguished career.
Ambassador Clare Kelly, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the New Zealand to the World Trade Organization
Clare has served as New Zealand’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation since February 2022. Previously, Clare held the position of Assistant Secretary in the Trade and Economic Group of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). She was appointed to the role in April 2017, with responsibility for the Trade Negotiations Division of the Ministry’s Trade and Economic Group. She also led New Zealand’s trade negotiation with the Pacific Alliance. From April 2013 to March 2017 she served as New Zealand’s Ambassador to Mexico, with concurrent accreditations in Central America.
Earlier roles in the Trade and Economic Group of MFAT included as New Zealand’s lead Goods negotiator for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement negotiation. Clare was posted as Counsellor in the New Zealand Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva from 2003 to 2007. Previously, she worked as First Secretary and Consul General in the New Zealand Embassy in Santiago, Chile. From 2007 to 2009 Clare worked as a Trade Adviser in the Geneva office of the law firm White & Case LLP, covering a range of international trade law issues, in particular, trade in services, accessions to the WTO and WTO disputes.
Moderator: Angela Ellard, Senior Advisor (non-resident), Center for Strategic and International Studies; former Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization
Angela Paolini Ellard is renowned for her expertise in trade and international economic policy, resolving trade barriers, negotiating outcomes, and building coalitions. She is Senior Fellow (non-resident) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington DC. Ms. Ellard served as Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization from June 2021 to August 2025. During her tenure, she was responsible for dispute settlement/reform, trade remedies, market access/trade facilitation, and negotiations to curb harmful fisheries subsidies. As a diplomat and key member of the senior leadership team, she supervised the Secretariat’s facilitation of the successful conclusion and entry into force of the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement. She also oversaw the WTO budget and financial operations, providing transparency and accountability as well as sound fiscal management.
Previously, Ms. Ellard had a distinguished 26-year career as Majority and Minority Chief Trade Counsel in the U.S. Congress. She achieved significant bipartisan trade policy outcomes with Congressional leaders and five Presidential administrations, including trade agreement negotiation and implementation, development programs, and U.S. trade and customs laws. Before her tenure on the Hill, she practiced law at major U.S.law firms, focusing on trade litigation, policy, and legislation.
She earned her J.D. cum laude/Tulane Law School, M.A. in Public Policy/Tulane University, and B.A. summa cum laude/Tulane’s Newcomb College. She speaks and lectures worldwide and has received numerous awards for her leadership and contributions to trade law and policy.
Thank you to our WITA International Sponsors!
Thank you to our WITA Academy Sponsors!
