Born in Britain in 1953 Mr. Peter Mandelson was a student of Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St Catherine’s College, Oxford. In his youth, his dwelling in Tanzania for a year, gave him an experience which formed life-long impressions of Africa and the challenges of fighting poverty. A life-long pro-European, he led the British delegation to the first ever meeting of the European Communities Youth Forum in Strasbourg in 1979.

He is the honorary Chair of a European and international think tank-Policy Network. He was UK chairman of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group, which brings together leading academics, politicians and business people. He has traveled widely and has lectured throughout Europe, in Asia and the United States. He had also been a TV producer for current affairs and later a Director of Labor Party Campaigns & Communication in 1985, a Manager to Tony Blair’s Campaign in May 1997, the British Cabinet’s secretary of State for Trade and Industry in 1998 and a member of Parliament Northern English Constituency –Hartlepool until 2004.

He was made EU Commissioner for Trade in 2004. At his confirmation hearing in the European Parliament in October 2004, he said: “I am convinced that trade policy, used well, can make a powerful contribution to economic development around the world, as long as we recognize the needs of the poorest.”

www.fibre2fashion.com feels immense pleasure and honor to share his valuable views on world textile trade.