The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has appointed Jennifer DJ Nordquist of the United States as a new Deputy Director-General.
She will assume the role on October 1, 2025, succeeding Angela Ellard, who is stepping down at the end of August.
Nordquist currently serves as Counsellor to the Council of Economic Advisers at the White House.
Her extensive background includes leadership roles as Executive Vice President at the Economic Innovation Group, Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Executive Director representing the U.S. at the World Bank Group.
She also held key positions at the Brookings Institution, including Chief of Staff and Deputy of Economic Studies.
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An alumna of Stanford University (B.A. in Psychology and Communications) and Northwestern University (M.A. in Journalism), Nordquist is fluent in English and French.
In announcing the appointment, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala emphasised Nordquist’s wealth of experience in economic policy and strategic leadership.
“She brings decades of leadership as an economic and policy strategist. Jennifer will join the senior management team in advancing our mission of using trade to improve living standards, create employment, and enhance lives,” the DG said.
Nordquist joins a team of Deputy Directors-General that includes Johanna Hill (El Salvador), Jean-Marie Paugam (France), and Xiangchen Zhang (China), all of whom have been reappointed for a second four-year term.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala herself was reappointed in November 2024 to serve a second term as Director-General, beginning September 1, 2025.
Image Credit: Nairametrics
