Global Outlook 2021

Global trade in 2020 was buffeted by trade wars, talk of anti-globalization, and a recession-driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. Is an incredible 33.1% third-quarter growth in US GDP likely to continue in the first quarter of  2021? As the first vaccine is now being distributed worldwide, can we expect the global economy to reach pre-pandemic levels anytime in 2021?

Join the World Trade Center Northern California as we examine the global trade outlook for 2021, the current state of international business, and what the path forward may hold.

Pete Mento, Global Customs and Trade Consultant, and creator of the Trade Geek Podcast series will take out the 2021 crystal ball for a look at the international business landscape, including macro-economics and global trade policy issues, to help international businesses better prepare to navigate the year ahead.

Pete Mento
Global Customs and Trade Consultant

Pete Mento specializes in the elimination, recovery, and minimization of duties associated with importing and exporting. He also assists companies with import and export trade compliance, audit defense, and cargo security programs. Pete, a customs house broker, foreign relations expert, and trade academic, is one of the world’s leading experts on international trade policy and supply chain security. He is considered one of the most insightful and connected trade professionals in the world.

Pete has served as Partner and Practice Leader for the Customs Practices of tax firms Ryan, KPMG, and Crowe. He has also run the global customs operations and consultancies for major freight forwarding firms such as Expeditors, C.H. Robinson and Crane Worldwide. Pete now consults private firms and transportation companies in the development, marketing, and innovation of customs, regulatory and global trade products, secured transportation offerings, trade consultancy, integrated managed services, and software solutions.

Pete received his ALM in Government (Trade Theory Focus) from Harvard University and did his undergraduate work at Maine Maritime Academy, where he served five consecutive terms as a member of the advisory board. A Trade Academic who has written many articles and work papers on Trade Theory and Trade Practices, his Ph.D. studies at the University of Durham in the United Kingdom in Trade Law focused on the role programs like C-TPAT and AEO had on the global economy.

Pete is a highly sought-after speaker for events all over the world. A former professional standup comedian, he has conducted sold-out lectures to tens of thousands of people in every imaginable venue – from university lecture halls to night clubs. His style of mixing economics, history, and humor is always a welcome change for his clients and students. His Trade School webinar series has become the standard for staying up to date on issues of global commerce, and his podcast “Trade Geek” boasts over 10,000 subscribers.

He is the most unlikely trade nerd you will ever meet.