Pascal Lamy | |
|---|---|
 Lamy in 2024 | |
| 5thDirector-General of the World Trade Organization | |
| In office 1 September 2005 – 1 September 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Supachai Panitchpakdi |
| Succeeded by | Roberto Azevêdo |
| European Commissioner for Trade | |
| In office 13 September 1999 – 22 November 2004 | |
| President | Romano Prodi |
| Preceded by | Leon Brittan |
| Succeeded by | Peter Mandelson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1947-04-08)8 April 1947 (age 78) |
| Political party | Socialist Party |
| Spouse | Geneviève Lamy |
| Alma mater | Institute of Political Studies, Paris HEC Paris National School of Administration, Strasbourg |
Pascal Lamy (born 8 April 1947) is a Frenchpolitical consultant and businessman. He was theDirector-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) from 1 September 2005 to 1 September 2013 for 8 years. In April 2009, WTO members reappointed Lamy for a second 4-year term, beginning on 1 September 2009. He was then succeeded byRoberto Azevêdo. Pascal Lamy was alsoEuropean Commissioner for Trade for 5 years, from 13 September 1999 to 22 November 2004 and is an advisor for the transatlantic think-tankEuropean Horizons,[1] as well as currently serving as the Honorary President of the Paris-basedthink tank,Notre Europe.
Born inLevallois-Perret,Hauts-de-Seine, a suburb of Paris, Lamy studied atSciences Po Paris, fromHEC andÉNA, graduating second in his year of those specialising in economics.[citation needed]
He then joined the civil service, and in this role he ended up serving as an adviser toJacques Delors asEconomics and Finance Minister andPierre Mauroy asPrime Minister.[citation needed]
Lamy has been a member of theFrench Socialist Party since 1969.[citation needed]
In 1979 Pascal Lamy was appointed to the post of Secretary General of the "Mayoux Committee". During 1979-1981 he worked as Deputy Secretary General, then Secretary General of the Interministerial Committee for the Remodelling of Industrial Structures (CIASI) in the Treasury Department. In 1981 Pascal Lamy was technical Adviser, then deputy director (June 1982), Office of the Ministers for Economic and Financial Affairs (Mr Jacques Delors).[2]
Lamy became Deputy Secretary General, then Secretary General of the Interministerial Committee for the Remodelling of Industrial Structures (CIASI) in the Treasury Department. When Delors becamePresident of the European Commission in 1984, he took Lamy with him to serve aschef de cabinet, which he did until the end of Delors' term in 1994. During his time there, Lamy became known as theBeast of theBerlaymont, theGendarme andExocet due to his habit of orderingcivil servants, evenDirectors-General (heads of department) "precisely what to do – or else." He was seen as ruling Delors' office with a "rod of iron", with no-one able to bypass or manipulate him and those who tried being "banished to one of the less pleasant European postings".[3]
Lamy briefly moved into business atCrédit Lyonnais. Promoted to second in command, he was involved in therestructuring andprivatisation of the bank.
Returning to the European Commission in 1999, Lamy was appointedEuropean Commissioner for Trade by Commission PresidentRomano Prodi. Lamy served to the expiry of the commission's term in 2004. His ability to manage the powerful civil servants in his department was noted.[4] During his time in office, he pushed for a newDoha round of world trade talks and advocated reform within the WTO.[5]
On 13 May 2005, Lamy was chosen as the next director-general of the World Trade Organization, and took office on 1 September 2005 for a four-year term. He had been nominated by theEuropean Union and won over candidates including Carlos Pérez del Castillo ofUruguay andJaya Krishna Cuttaree ofMauritius.
On 30 April 2009, Lamy was re-elected unanimously by the WTO General Council for a second term of four years, beginning 1 September 2009.[6] He also served as the chairman of the organization's Trade Negotiations Committee. He was the WTO's fifth director-general.
Also in 2009, Lamy served on the High Level Commission on the Modernization of World Bank Group Governance, which – under the leadership ofErnesto Zedillo – conducted an external review of theWorld Bank Group's governance.[7]
Since 2019, Lamy has been serving as President of theParis Peace Forum. Pascal Lamy is a member of the advisory board of thePrague European Summit.[8] In 2019, he joinedBrunswick Group as its president for European operations.[9]
Lamy is married and has three sons. His hobbies include running and cycling.[27]
The Relationship between WTO Law and General International Law in theLecture Series of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | French European Commissioner 1999–2004 Served alongside:Michel Barnier | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | European Commissioner for Trade 1999–2004 Served alongside:Danuta Hübner | Succeeded by |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | Director-General of the World Trade Organization 2005–2013 | Succeeded by |
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