Ian Saunders WCO

Mr. Ian Saunders is Secretary General of the World Customs Organization. He provides leadership for the global Customs community by developing global Customs instruments, standards and tools; securing and facilitating trade; protecting revenue collection; building partnerships; and delivering capacity building support for Customs reform and modernization. Immediately prior, Mr. Saunders was Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Mr. Saunders spent most of his career with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, where he held senior positions including Assistant Commissioner and (A) Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner for Operations Support. Earlier, he was Director of International Policy and Programs, Director of International Training and Assistance, and Special Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner. Mr. Saunders entered the U.S. Government Senior Executive Service in 2008. He has undergraduate and graduate degrees from Georgetown University and has attended executive programs at Harvard University and the American University.