The Rodolfo Rivas Project

Season 2 Episode 1 - My guest in the first episode of the second season is Petros C. Mavroidis, Edwin B. Parker Professor of Foreign & Comparative Law Professor at Columbia Law School, leading International Trade academic and CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) Arbitrator. Our conversation delves into a variety of other topics, such as how Petros became a Professor, how the WTO has evolved, his v...

Season 1 Episode 17 - In this, the last episode of the first season, I am hosting Elisa Pasquali. She was raised in Guadalajara and also attended the American School, then went on to MIT to become an engineer. She then worked in Silicon Valley for some years before moving to Europe. She is currently the Founder and CEO of Arcadia which aims to provide peer-to-peer cash transfer and other financial...

Season 1 Episode 16 – David H. Bernstein, Chair of Debevoise’s Intellectual Property Litigation Group. David is one of the leading voices in Intellectual Property law and he stopped by for a conversation during his trip to Geneva to celebrate the UDRP’s 20th anniversary at WIPO. He shares how he got interested in the law, his first brushes with Intellectual Property, his involvement with the UDRP,...

Season 1 Episode 14 - In this episode we talk to filmmaker Luke Lorentzen. He presented his new documentary “Midnight Family” at the Zurich Film Festival. The film chronicles the Ochoa family and how they run a private ambulance in Mexico City. It is a really interesting and powerful film. In this conversation we talk to Luke about how he got into filmmaking, his previous projects and we discuss h...

Season 1 Episode 13 - Victoria McEvedy. Victoria is a fellow UDRP panelist and a lawyer with a very rich experience across large international firms and most recently her boutique law firm McEvedys. In this episode, she talks to us about how she got into the law, the challenges of running a boutique practice and why she decided to focus on issues related to media, journalism and technology among o...

Season 1 Episode 15 - In this episode we talk to Mexican filmmaker David Zonana. He presented his new film “Mano de Obra” (Workforce) at the Zurich Film Festival. It is an accomplished film bursting with ideas from an exciting new filmmaker. In our brief conversation with David he tells us about his path to filmmaking, some of his influences and we discuss his film. We do try to stay away from spo...

Season 1 Episode 12 – Dr. Grethel Aguilar, Acting Director-General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). She stops by the podcast to talk about how she got involved with protecting nature, the environment, working at the local, regional and international levels, her continued interest in learning and studying and her efforts to ensure gender equity. Please listen in! Featur...

Season 1 Episode 11 – Howard Stupp, an Olympian and two-time Pan American gold medalist who until recently served as Director of Legal Affairs at the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland stops by the podcast to tells us about growing up in Montreal, competing at the highest levels of wrestling and using his varied and rich experience in his life and professional career. He also...

Season 1 Episode 10 - Enrique Javier Aguayo. Enrique Javier Aguayo, originally from Guadalajara Mexico, is an engineer and holds a Ph. D. In his career, he has worked in the private sector and then moved to a teaching position in one of Mexico's top schools where he became a successful manager. Since then he moved to Sweden and now is working on assignment for Volvo Group. In this episode he tells...

Season 1 Episode 9 – Ambassador Juan Carlos Gonzalez. Permanent Representative at the Mission of Colombia at the WTO. The one where we learn about Ambassador Gonzalez’ passion for International Affairs and how this lead to a well-rounded career in diplomacy, trade promotion and international trade. Ambassador Gonzalez also tells us about using his studies in his professional life and gives us a br...

Season 1 Episode 8 – Mauricio A. Salcedo. Former Deputy Permanent Representative at the Mission of Colombia at the WTO and currently Head of International Legal Affairs Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism. The one where we talk about growing up in Bogota, Colombia and finding his passion for Trade Law and Diplomacy which led Mauricio to Georgetown Law School. From there Mauricio went back home...

Season 1 Episode 7 – Gitanjali Brandon, Legal Counsel of the Mission of India to the WTO. The one where we talk about growing up in India, finding her passion the law and her journey as a corporate lawyer-turned-diplomat. We also touch on our pop culture influences and food as a potent form of soft power. If you're looking to get a sense of the opportunities in trade law, or wanting to get some po...

Season 1 Episode 6 - Dr. Luis G. Franceschi. Founding Dean of Strathmore Law School in Nairobi (former) and now Senior Director of Governance & Peace at The Commonwealth Secretariat. In this episode we talk about the transformative power of education and the journey of Dr. Franceschi from Venezuela to Kenya. We hear a bit about the current situation in Venezuela as well as the bright future awaiti...

Season 1 Episode 5 – Dr. Willy Mutunga (@WMutunga), Chief Justice of Kenya (2011-2016). In this episode, we cover many topics from a point of view of Kenya, but also from a gloal perspective. Due to his last role as Chief Justice of Kenya, I was expecting to delve into topics relating to the law, but it is clear from our conversation that Dr. Willy has transcended the law and is now concerned with...

Season 1 Episode 4 – Amb. Roberto Zapata. The one where we talk to the Ambassador of Mexico to the World Trade Organization, Roberto Zapata Barradas. In this episode, we have a great conversation with Amb. Zapata about growing up in Mexico and attending a bilingual school which set the preamble for a career in International Trade Policy. Amb. Zapata tells us about how growing up in a Mexico open f...

Season 1 Episode 3 – Brian Beckham. The one where we talk to Brian Beckham, Head of the Internet Dispute Resolution Section at WIPO. In this episode, we have a great conversation with Brian about growing up in the Midwest, becoming interested in the creative industries and the Law. We also hear a bit about his passion for biking and his journey through Law School in Chicago, which eventually lead...

Season 1 Episode 2 – Alejandro Garcia. The one where we talk to Alejandro Garcia, a Partner at the UK law firm Clyde & Co, where his practice revolves around commercial arbitration and investment treaty arbitration. In this episode, we hear from his beginnings in Chile, his journey through Harvard Law School and the US, his stint at WIPO and his transition from associate to Partner in the UK. Feat...

Season 1 Episode 1 - Brian Frenkel. In our first episode, we talk to an Argentinean lawyer currently working as a Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Adviser. His journey starts in Buenos Aires, Argentina and continues in Geneva where Brian studied and currently works. He talks a little bit about his work but also those things that interest him outside of work, including academics, feminism and...

About The Rodolfo Rivas Project: Conversations with talented individuals (lawyers, diplomats, entrepreneurs, academics, filmmakers, etc.) in International Geneva and beyond. Currently in season 4, and going strong! Ranked in the top 10% of podcasts in the world. Some of our guests include: Dr. Willy Mutunga (former Chief Justice Kenya), Dr. Chang-fa Lo (former Constitutional Court Justice), Dr. Gr...