Mr. Leo PalmaDeputy Director
+41 22 919 21 12

Biography

Before joining the Centre, Mr. Palma was Attaché for WTO Legal Affairs, Philippine Mission in Geneva, holding such position since 1996. He participated actively in the deliberations of the (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body, including those relating to the mandated review of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes.

He advised the Philippine government in potential disputes involving Philippine measures affecting trade and investment in the motor vehicle sector and pork and poultry products, respectively, and anti-dumping measures on polypropylene resins. He prepared the Philippine third-party submission in Turkey – Restrictions on imports of textile and clothing products.

He also participated actively in the deliberations of the General Council, the Council for Trade in Goods, and the Council for TRIPS, among others.

From 1988 to 1996, he was Labor Attaché, Philippine Mission in Geneva. He was elected to various positions in several bodies of the International Labor Organization (ILO), among which are: Chairman, Government Group, ILO Governing Body, 1995 – 1996, and; Chairman, Committee on the Revision of the Placing of Seamen Convention (Convention No. 9, 1920), Maritime Session of the International Labor Conference, Geneva, 1996.

During the period 1983-1988, he was a business executive in a Philippine subsidiary of a multinational.

He passed the Philippine bar examinations in 1972, following which he joined Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz, a partnership engaged in the practice of law. Starting as apprentice in 1973, he was admitted into the partnership in 1980. In such capacity, he was legal counsel to various clients with business operations or interests in the Philippines, Europe, Asia and the Pacific, and the United States. In a concurrent capacity, he was also a legal consultant to the Central Bank of the Philippines.

Mr. Palma was born in the Philippines in 1947. He is a graduate of the University of the Philippines, having obtained from that institution a B.S. degree in Business Administration (Accounting Major) in 1967, and an LL.B. degree in 1972.

To contact Mr. Palma, email to: leo.palma@acwl.ch.

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Cherise M Valles