Henry Gao Keynote Speaker

Author of "Between Market Economy and State Capitalism: China’s State-Owned Enterprises and the World Trading System"
International Trade expert & WTO Advisory Board member
First Chinese Lawyer at the WTO Secretariat

Henry Gao's Biography

Henry Gao is a senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and a law professor at Singapore Management University. He is an expert on international trade, particularly regarding China and the WTO.

With law degrees from three continents, he started his career as the first Chinese lawyer at the WTO Secretariat. Before moving to Singapore in late 2007, he taught law at University of Hong Kong, where he was also the Deputy Director of the East Asian International Economic Law and Policy Program. He has taught at the IELPO program in Barcelona and the Academy of International Trade Law in Macau, and was the Academic Coordinator to the first Asia-Pacific Regional Trade Policy Course officially sponsored by the WTO.

Henry Gao has been an advisor on trade issues for many national governments as well as the WTO, UN, World Bank, ADB, APEC, ASEAN, EU and the World Economic Forum. His papers have appeared in journals such as the International and Comparative Law Quarterly, Journal of International Economic Law, World Trade Review, Harvard International Law Journal, and the Journal of World Trade. His works have been cited in government reports as well as the World Trade Report by the WTO and the Digital Economy Report by UNCTAD.

Henry sits on the Advisory Board of the WTO Chairs Program, which was established by the WTO Secretariat in 2009 to promote research and teaching on WTO issues in leading universities around the world. He is also a member of editorial boards of the Journal of International Economic Law and Journal of Financial Regulation, both published by Oxford University Press.

Henry Gao is currently working on digital trade, WTO and China, and WTO reform. His most recent paper analysed China’s changing perspectives on the WTO, which was quoted as an “invaluable” paper by the Financial Times in its feature article on China’s 20^th anniversary in the WTO.

His latest book is “Between Market Economy and State Capitalism: China’s State-Owned Enterprises and the World Trading System”.

He has advised national governments, the WTO and leading multilateral institutions on the rules and geopolitics shaping the global trading system, drawing on experience as the first Chinese lawyer at the WTO Secretariat.
He translates complex trade disputes, WTO reform debates and China’s evolving trade strategy into clear, practical insight for policymakers, boards and internationally exposed businesses.
He combines academic rigour with frontline policy experience, grounding his analysis in scholarship published in leading journals and cited by the WTO and UN in their flagship reports.
His briefings equip leaders to navigate trade fragmentation, digital trade negotiations and state capitalism, helping them assess risk, anticipate regulatory shifts and position their organisations with confidence.