Bernard Kuiten

Bernard Kuiten is Head of External Relations at the World Trade Organization since 2009 where he oversees the organization's dealings with the private sector, civil society, parliamentarians and other intergovernmental organizations. He joined the WTO at the end of 1999, taking responsibility for civil society relations. 

Bernard is a former diplomat and trade negotiator and a highly seasoned speaker on trade and WTO matters. From 1990 to 1999, he represented both the  Netherlands and the European  Union on a  number  of  trade  files,  including  shipbuilding,  steel  and  services  trade  in  general.  He  specialized  in financial, telecommunication and audio‐visual services when working for the European Commission. The  year  before  joining  WTO,  Bernard  was  the  chair  of  the  WTO  Working  Party  for  State  Trading  Enterprises.  He is a member and former chair of the International Geneva Committee of the Swiss Network  of  International  Studies,  as  well  as  an  Advisory  Board Member  of  the  Model  WTO  at  the  University of St. Gallen.