Deputy Director-General
WTO

Rufus H. Yerxa has served as Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 2002.

Mr. Yerxa has an extensive record as a trade diplomat, legislative expert and private lawyer. He has served as a senior trade official in both Republican and Democratic Administrations. From 1989 to 1993 he was the U.S. Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in Geneva, the predecessor organization to the WTO. From 1993 to 1995 He was the Deputy U.S. Trade Representative in Washington — his government’s senior sub-cabinet trade official. In these two positions, he played a major role in negotiating and securing Congressional approval of both the Uruguay Round/WTO agreement and the NAFTA accord.

Prior to these appointments, he was legal counsel to the Committee on Ways and Means of the U.S. House of Representatives (1981-89), where he served as Staff Director of the Trade Subcommittee. He guided the drafting and enactment of several major pieces of trade legislation. He began his government career as a legal advisor with the U.S. International Trade Commission (1977-81), an independent government agency responsible for various trade matters.

He left U.S. government service in 1995, and moved to Brussels as resident partner with a major U.S. law firm. His law practice focused on international trade matters and European regulatory affairs. He subsequently served as European General Counsel for a major pharmaceuticals and agro-food company.

Mr. Yerxa received his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington, his law degree from the University of Puget Sound and an advanced degree in international law from Cambridge University. He is a member of the District of Columbia and Washington State bars.

Mr. Yerxa resides in Geneva with his wife, Barbara McSweeney and their two children.