Over the years, our alumni have gone on to build remarkable careers across a wide range of sectors, reflecting the versatility and global relevance of a WTI education. Many hold influential positions within leading international organizations such as the WTO, World Bank, UNCTAD, WIPO, UNEP, the International Trade Centre, and various regional development banks. Others serve in senior roles within national ministries responsible for trade, investment, finance, and foreign affairs, as well as agencies like the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs. Our graduates have also made their mark within the European Commission, the private sector—including companies such as PwC, JP Morgan, Audi Forum Ingolstadt, Syngenta, Novartis, and Japan Tobacco International—and in prominent law firms with specialized trade and investment practices, such as the Advisory Centre on WTO Law. Beyond these, alumni contribute their expertise to industry associations and non-governmental organizations, driving change on both a local and global scale. Supporting this vibrant community is the WTI alumni network, which offers regular meetings around the world, a dedicated mentoring programme, and timely updates on career opportunities—ensuring that connections forged during studies continue to open doors for years to come.
The World Trade Institute Alumni Association (WTIAA): A global network of WTI alumni
Alumni profiles
Learn from real alumni pathways to career success – Explore how alumni turned their experience at the WTI into a world of opportunity. Every graduate from the WTI has a unique story. Read our alumni profiles to learn more about the journeys of remarkable individuals who are alumni from WTI.
Mentorship at the WTI
Through our mentorship program, students gain access to the insights, support, and lived experience of WTI alumni who’ve been where you are and know what it takes to move forward. Whether you're just starting out in trade or preparing for your next opportunity, the WTI Alumni Community offers the chance to connect with people who want to help you grow.
Alumni Events & Networking Opportunities at WTI
Your connection to WTI doesn’t end at graduation—it evolves. Through alumni events and networking opportunities, you can continue to grow, give back, and stay connected to a powerful community of professionals across industries and around the world.
Where a WTI education can take you
The WTI Alumni Association (WTIAA) and Alumni Benefits
The WTI Alumni Association (WTIAA)
The WTI Alumni Association (WTIAA) promotes cooperation and networking opportunities for the WTI’s more than 600 alumni and students from over 100 countries. The WTIAA hosts networking events, offer mentorship opportunities to younger professionals and share their experiences and engage in global dialogue. If you are interested to participate in the WTIAA’s activities and become a member, please get in touch.
Course discount for alumni
Are you a graduate of our MILE or TRAIL+ programs? If so, you qualify for a 50% discount on the courses offered in our WTI Academy. Learn more about upcoming courses, tuition fees and details on how to apply. In your application, please indicate that you are a MILE or TRAIL+ alumna/alumnus.
Support the Global Impact Association—Empower Tomorrow’s Trade Leaders
GIA’s mission is to support promising scholars and professionals—especially from low- and middle-income countries—by enabling them to pursue advanced studies, internships, and research at the World Trade Institute in Bern.
Meet the WTI Alumni Association (WTIAA)
The WTIAA consists of the Executive Committee (5 members: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasure, Outreach Officer), together with 2 pillars, (1) Regional Chapters (RC) and (2) Thematic Working Groups (TWG). Alumni who can participate in any of these RCs or TWGs. RCs will focus on trade in a specific geographic region while TWGs can focus on a theme, such Sustainable Trade and Investment or Trade and Labor.
The WTIAA was established in 2021. Its current Executive Committee, elected in September 2023, consists of the following members:
- President: Mr Harsh Hiroo Gursahani, MILE 11 - Read his interview
- Vice-President: Ms Wakako Oshima, MILE 7 - Read her interview
- Secretary: Ms Esha Sandhu, TRAIL 3
- Treasurer: Mr Murat Ayber, MILE 3
- Outreach Officer: Ms Gabriela Garcia Merchan, MILE 22
The following Regional Chapters are set up:
- Geneva Chapter: Joachim Monkelbaan, MILE 4 (Head)
- India Chapter: Harsh Hiroo Gursahani, MILE 11 and Esha Sandhu, TRAIL+3 (Head)
- Africa Chapter: Jacquiline Pimer, MILE 10 and Azwimpheleli Langalanga, MILE 12 (Head)
- Brussels Chapter: Stella Nalwoga, MILE 21 (Head)
- South America Chapter: Manolo Delgado, MILE 7 (Head)
- Asia Regional Committee: TBC
If you are interested to participate in the WTIAA’s activities and become a member, please contact alumni.wti@unibe.ch
Alumni profiles
TRAIL+ Alumni Profiles: Meet Gauri Tyagi
Gauri Tyagi practiced as a commercial lawyer in India for almost 5 years, primarily focusing on admiralty and customs law — fields that intersect with trade. She observed how closely these areas are tied to the movement of goods, economic relations, and regulatory frameworks. Then during the COVID pandemic, Gauri witnessed first-hand how shifts in trade policies and disruptions in global supply chains impact daily life. This sparked a curiosity to explore trade law in greater depth, bringing her to the World Trade Institute (WTI) to study in our TRAIL+ program. Find out more about Gauri in this interview.
MILE Alumni Profiles: Diego Ures
Diego Ures, MILE 7 alumnus, has forged an impressive career at the intersection of international trade, economics, and policy, now serving as Managing Director and Partner at Andersen Global in São Paulo, Brazil and tells us more about the MILE benefited him in his career path.
MILE Alumni Profiles: Javier Gutierrez
Today, Javier plays a key role at the WTO, where he leads strategic communications and partnerships. As team leader for the WTO Public Forum—the organization’s flagship event—it is clear that he is a central figure in facilitating global dialogue on trade. His leadership in the 2024 forum and preparations for subsequent editions illustrate his continued influence in promoting equitable and inclusive economic integration.
TRAIL+ Alumni Profiles: Meet Triplicane Damodaran (TD) Satish
Meet Triplicane Damodaran (TD) Satish. Satish is a trade lawyer, and practicing trade remedy and customs law in India for over a decade before coming to the World Trade Institute. Having gained practical experience in WTO laws, Satish always wanted to do go back to school and learn the theoretical intricacies of international trade and investment law.
MILE Alumni Profiles: Intan Hamdan-Livramento
Dr. Intan M. Hamdan‑Livramento, a distinguished alumna of the World Trade Institute’s MILE programme (MILE 1), has built a career at the intersection of international economics, intellectual property (IP), and innovation policy. With an academic foundation spanning the United States, Switzerland, and Malaysia, she has emerged as one of the foremost economists shaping global conversations on inclusive innovation, gender dynamics in IP, and the evolving landscape of technological advancement.
MILE Alumni Profiles: Alvita Chen
MILE 14 alumna from Indonesia, Alvita Chen, tells the WTI about her position as Senior Manager for Corporate Affairs at GOJEK, and how the MILE helped her learn the key role of MSMEs in driving sustainable economic development.
MILE Alumni Profiles: Vitaliy Pogoretskyy
Vitaliy Pogoretskyy has built an exceptional career at the intersection of international trade law, dispute settlement, and capacity-building for developing countries. Currently serving as Counsel at the Advisory Centre on WTO Law (ACWL) in Geneva, he advises member states on complex legal issues arising under WTO agreements and represents them in dispute settlement proceedings. His professional trajectory reflects both scholarly excellence and a sustained commitment to multilateralism and equitable trade governance.
MILE Alumni Profiles: Nadia Vassos
With her multifaceted experience—from trade agreement negotiation, OECD collaboration, academic publishing, to inter-agency forums—Nadia Vassos is shaping a more inclusive frame for competition law enforcement. Her ongoing research and leadership continue to influence how competition authorities incorporate gender, diversity, and equity into global economic policy. Canadian Nadia Vassos, who graduated from the MILE program in 2012, has since carved out a career in international trade policy. In this interview, she says the legal knowledge and negotiation skills she acquired on the MILE have proved particularly useful in her current role with the Canadian Competition Bureau.
MILE Alumni Profiles: Sebastián Gómez Fiedler
As Sebastian started on his path in the field of international law, he started realising with each step how great his interest in international economic law had become. The MILE programme will provide him with the necessary tools to enhance his skills and knowledge in international trade. After MILE, he wants to pursue a career in international economic law, aiming to work at an international organisation such as the World Trade Organization or the United Nations. His main interests in trade law are investment, dispute settlement, trade defence mechanisms, agricultural subsidies and trade in services.
Meet Francisco: WTI Alumni Stories
Francisco Montoya, a lawyer from Peru with a background in financial law, joined the World Trade Institute as a part of class MILE24. Learn a more about Francisco, and what motivated him to study at WTI.