WTO Secretariat

The WTO Secretariat is based in Geneva, Switzerland. It has 634 staff on the regular budget and is headed by Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, who took office for a four-year term on 1 September 2013. The four Deputy Directors-General began their terms of office on 1 October 2013. They are Yonov Frederick Agah of Nigeria, Karl Brauner of Germany, David Shark of the United States and Xiaozhun Yi of China. The Secretariat has no decision-making powers; all decisions in the WTO are taken by members.