NTFC Session 6: The role of customs in National Trade Facilitation Committees and the link to customs consultative committees

With a public sector career spanning over 20 years, he held several positions within the Mexican Government. In 2015 he was appointed as General Administrator of Customs by the President of Mexico, with ratification by the Senate. During his tenure, Mr. Treviño Chapa promoted digitalization of Customs procedures as well as cooperation with other border agencies and with the Customs administrations of Mexico's main trading partners.

Since January 2018, after being elected and re-elected in 2022 by the WCO Council, Ricardo Treviño Chapa has held the post of Deputy Secretary General. During this time he has driven an important change in the Organization through the definition and implementation of the Strategic Plans 2019-2022 and 2022-2025.  

He is now leading the process to define a Modernization Plan, which is an ambitious process to reform WCO governance and accountability to adapt to current global realities and emerging Customs needs. 

Surjit is Member Customs, CBIC and Special Secretary to the Government of India, having previously served as Director in Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

Born in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, Surjit, an IIT Delhi alumnus, holds a Masters in Chemistry and Modern Methods in Chemical Analysis and an MBA in Public Policy and Business Administration from the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

His wildlife preservation commitment is evident through his Master's thesis on Tiger Reserve management. He served as a Jury Member for Earth Heroes Awards and India Sustainability Awards and actively participated in field-level biodiversity conservation activities. He chaired Study Groups on Intelligence Apparatus Modernization, Arrests under Central Excise Law and Customs, Role of Customs in Wildlife Preservation, and Customs modernization.

As an IRS officer of the 1989 Batch, he served in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Bangalore, notably in the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Directorate of GST Intelligence.

Victoria Weyulu is the Senior Manager for the Department: Trade Facilitation and Customs Procedures in the Department of Customs and Excise of the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA). 

Before her appointment, Ms. Weyulu served as the Chief Legal Officer in the Office of the Minister of Justice and previously as a Young Professional for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) where she worked in the Trade and Environment Division that is responsible for administering the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade TBT). 

In terms of qualifications, Ms. Weyulu is an admitted Legal Practitioner of the High Court of Namibia and holds B.Juris and LL.B degree from the University of Namibia, a Master of Laws degree in international trade, business and investment law (cum laude) from the University of the Western Cape and a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance.

Fabián Villarroel is Director of Customs and Regulatory Affairs at DHL Express for Central and South America and member of Regional Private Consulting Group of WCO.

He worked for almost 20 years at Chilean Customs, holding various responsibilities. He participated in the negotiations of different trade agreements of Chile. He is also an expert on trade facilitation and leadership issues of WCO, and is a frequent World Trade Organization panelist/arbitrator. He is President of the Chilean Institute of International Trade.

Furthermore, he is Professor at various universities in Chile and author of publications on customs and international trade.

Bibiana is Tax Auditor and Customs Officer in Brazil. She currently leads customs knowledge management at General Coordination of Customs Administration (HQ).

At Secretariat of the Federal Revenue of Brazil (Brazilian Customs) she has worked as a Border Customs Officer (Brazil- Argentina) and managed a land border Customs Office (Brazil-Argentina). She also has worked in the implementation of Brazilian's single window and at the National Committee on Trade Facilitation.

Bibiana is Bachelor of Law from the Federal University of Pelotas/RS. She holds a postgraduate degree in Project Management from the Getulio Vargas Foundation, and a master’s in law from the Unified Education Centre of Brasilia.