Mr. Robert Sargin
Deputy Executive Director, International Law Institute Washington DC
About the Programme
The Senior Executive Development Programme (EDP) on Global Trade Strategies is a three-day masterclass designed for senior professionals, policymakers, and business leaders navigating the fast-changing terrain of global trade.
Organized by the Dhirubhai Ambani University – School of Law (DAU-SoL) in collaboration with the International Law Institute (ILI), Washington D.C. and Economic Laws Practice (ELP), Mumbai, this programme translates live global trade negotiations into practical, actionable insights.
This is not an academic conference but a hands-on executive training that bridges the gap between global negotiation rooms in Washington D.C., London, Geneva, Brussels, Tokyo, Dubai, and Singapore, and the boardrooms of Indian and international companies.
Participants will gain rare opportunities to engage with seasoned trade negotiators, diplomats, industry experts, and policymakers who are shaping the future of international trade and regulatory strategy.
Joint Certification from DAU-SoL, ILI (Washington D.C.), and ELP (Mumbai).
Direct Access to Experts: Diplomats, negotiators, senior lawyers, global trade professionals.
Immersive Masterclasses on trade negotiations, market access, digital trade, and services mobility.
Strategic Networking Opportunities with policymakers and industry leaders.
Exclusive Alumni Network Access for continued collaboration beyond the programme.
Curated Learning Resources – policy briefs, case studies, and actionable toolkits.
On-site hospitality with lunch and refreshments provided each day.
True to the name of our founding father, Late Shri Dhirubhai Ambani, the School of Law aims to create and train a community of lawyers and non-lawyers guided by the ideals of industry-academia collaboration and entrepreneurial spirit in a globalized Indian economy. We are a specialized law school positioned as a hub for capacity building, training, research and technical assistance. We offer an interdisciplinary and industry oriented education through a wide array of courses, with insights and instruction provided by experts drawn from top international & domestic organizations, industry, multilateral & intergovernmental organizations and educational institutions. Apart from the flagship verticals – ESG, Carbon Markets & Sustainability; Construction & Arbitration Law; and Data Privacy & AI, we are striving to build expertise and offer programmes in emerging areas of law such as International Trade & Investment Law, IPR, Aviation Law, Tax Law, Capital Market & Securities Law and others. Boasting tie-ups with key Indian and global organizations, we aim to develop capacity by providing high-quality, industry-focused executive development programmes and specialized educational courses in niche legal and regulatory areas to working professionals to contribute to the national goal of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Member, Board of Governors - Dhirubhai Ambani University Former Secretary to the Government of India Former Permanent Representative of India to the UN
Amb. T.S. Tirumurti was in the Indian Foreign Service with a diplomatic career spanning 37 years between 1985-2022. He served as Ambassador/ Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in New York between 2020-2022. He was President of the UN Security Council for August 2021 and also Chair of three Committees of the Security Council. Earlier, he was Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs dealing with the Arab world, Africa, development partnership and economic relations. Ambassador Tirumurti has previously served in Cairo, Geneva, Gaza, Washington D.C., Jakarta and was also India’s High Commissioner to Malaysia. He was India’s first Representative to the Palestinian Authority in Gaza. He served in various capacities in Ministry of External Afffairs, New Delhi including Head of the United Nations Division and Head of Division for four neighbouring countries - Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Myanmar. He was also a climate change negotiator for several years. He is currently Distinguished Professor in Indian Institute of Technology Madras. He is in the Board of Governors of Dhirubhai Ambani University, Gandhinagar. He is the author of three books.
Founding Director Dhirubhai Ambani University School of Law
Prof. (Dr.) Avinash Dadhich is the founding director of the Dhirubhai Ambani University – School of Law (DA-SoL), and also serves as a Global Advisory Board Member for AMS Ethical AI, where his expertise in AI ethics is vital in guiding responsible integration of artificial intelligence in talent acquisition. His mission at the DA-SoL is to cultivate a new era of legal education that intertwines with the evolving landscape of technology and law. In this pursuit, my competencies in AI law, data privacy law, and competition law serve as the bedrock for developing a forward-thinking curriculum and fostering scholarly excellence. In his academic career, he has held senior roles, including Director at Manipal Law School, MAHE, Bengaluru, and Dean at IFIM Law School, Bengaluru. He was invited as a visiting research fellow at the Max Planck Institute of IP and Competition, Munich; the Institute of European Studies, Brussels; and King’s College London. In addition to being a legal scholar, Dr. Dadhich has also worked as an advocate in the Supreme Court of India and has consulted on legal matters at Deloitte and EY, Gide Loyrette Nouel, Paris, White & Case, Brussels, and the Competition Commission of India.
Senior Partner & Head of International Trade & Customs Practice, Economic Laws Practice (ELP) Senior Non-Resident Fellow – International Trade & Customs, Dhirubhai Ambani University School of Law
Sanjay Notani is a Senior Partner at ELP and heads the International Trade & Customs practice. He is a member of the Supreme Court Bar of India (SCBA) and Maharashtra & Goa Bar Council. His advisory work includes, appellate litigation to obtain trade remedial reliefs from unfairly traded imports in anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duty proceedings (Trade Remedial Actions) pertaining to inbound and outbound levy of duties, and disputes arising from Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)/Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) including disputes at the World Trade Organization (WTO) representing India. With over two and a half decades of experience, Sanjay consistently ranks among India’s leading international trade experts.
Deputy Executive Director International Law Institute (ILI) Washington DC
Robert Sargin has over 16 years of experience working directly with senior levels of governments, multilateral development organizations, global legal institutions, and private sector stakeholders. Mr. Sargin represents ILI in specialized programs developed for the U.S. Department of State and the World Bank (MIGA and IFC) programs. He also administers many of ILI’s East and South Asian relations and initiatives. Mr. Sargin has over 30 years of experience as a senior executive managing and advising large, multinational corporations, international offices, and developing and maintaining international supply chains. Mr. Sargin serves as a board member of the Friends of the U.S. Law Library of Congress, and is Senior Advisor and Global Program Coordinator for the International Lawyers Practice Course, China.
Founding Faculty Member & Head - Executive Education Head - International Trade Vertical Dhirubhai Ambani University School of Law
Dr. Manuj Bhardwaj is a former international civil servant, lawyer, strategic advisor, and policy expert with nearly a decade of experience at the nexus of international trade, law, and sustainability. His expertise centers on global trade and regulatory frameworks, particularly in areas such as international trade law, carbon border adjustment mechanisms, energy transition, sustainable corporate governance, supply chain due diligence, and the evolving legal and policy dimensions of climate and carbon finance. He has worked with a range of intergovernmental and international institutions, including the World Trade Organization (WTO), Commonwealth Secretariat, British Parliament, World Bank Group, UNFCCC, International Law Institute, and the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C. Dr. Bhardwaj has advised sovereign governments, multilateral agencies, and corporations across diverse jurisdictions on trade competitiveness. He has advised the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India on preparing a roadmap to increase services exports to USD 1 trillion by 2030.
Deputy Executive Director, International Law Institute Washington DC
Manager of Admissions
Partner - International Trade & Customs | Competition Law & Policy Economic Laws Practice (ELP)
Partner, Koan Advisory Group
Head, Centre for Trade and Investment Law Ministry of Commerce and Industry, GoI
Former Ambassador of India to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Former Secretary Telecom & IT, Government of India
Distinguished Fellow, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) Former Commerce Secretary of India
Chairman, IKDHVAJ Advisers LLP Former Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization Former Executive Director, Brookings India
Partner, Appleton Luff International Lawyers (Geneva) Senior Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins University (SAIS-Europe) Member, Advisory Board of the World Trade Institute (WTI – University of Bern)
Professor of Law, Faculty, Law School of Peking University (Beijing) Former Member (2016-2020) and Chairperson of the Appellate Body, World Trade Organization (WTO)
International Trade Lawyer (Washington, DC) and Professor at Yale Law School Former International Trade Counsel of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee Former Head of Import Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce
Dr. Manuj Bhardwaj Head – International Trade, DAU-SoL Email: manuj_bhardwaj@dau.ac.in
Mr. Ishan Sodhani Manager – Admissions Email: ishan_sodhani@dau.ac.in Phone: +91 927 4417 321
Mr. Shesh Shukla Head – Admissions Email: shesh_shukla@dau.ac.in