Member Article

World Customs Organization expert joins overseas trade specialist, Chamber International

An international expert in trade agreements and rules of origin has joined overseas trade specialist, Chamber International, on an exclusive contract after working for the World Customs Organization (WCO) in Brussels.

Former senior technical officer at the WCO, Ms Mette Werdelin Azzam (pictured), spent ten years with the global trade organization, an independent intergovernmental body that works to improve the efficiency of customs administrations.

She was head of the WCO’s origin sub-directorate in the tariff and trade affairs directorate dealing with rules of origin and free trade agreements and is regarded as a world-leading expert in her field.

After gaining a higher technical certificate in international business from a Paris business school, Ms Azzam graduated from the Danish Customs and Tax College in 2000 and worked in the Danish customs administration. Between 2005 and 2008 she was responsible for origin matters at the Danish customs headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, and was then posted to Brussels as Danish customs attaché.

As a senior associate of Chamber International, Ms Azzam will remain based in Brussels and will advise Chamber International and its clients throughout the UK on complex technical enquiries about rules of origin in trade agreements and provide rules of origin training, both of which face significant demand following the UK’s departure from the EU.

Ms Azzam said: “I’m delighted to join Chamber International, which has an excellent reputation in international trade. It is interesting to advise upon the practical issues that traders encounter when importing and exporting, to help them in the situation we find ourselves in after Brexit and to study all this from a business perspective.”

Chamber International director, Tim Bailey, says: “Attracting Mette is something of a coup for Chamber International. She brings an unrivalled depth of knowledge and understanding that will add real value for traders facing very complex origin issues after Brexit and it is great to welcome her to our very busy organisation.”

Chamber International helps hundreds of new and experienced exporters throughout the UK with a wide range of specialist services to make exporting easier and more cost effective.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mike Clarke .