Eric Wyndham White
Encyclopedia
Sir Eric Wyndham White KCMG
(1913–1980) was a British
administrator
and economist. He was founder and first executive secretary of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
between 1948 and 1965. He was the first director-general of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade from 1965 to 1968.
Born on the 26 January 1913, White was educated at the Westminster City School
and the London School of Economics
. He graduated as a LLB
with first class honours and in 1938 was called to the bar by the Middle Temple
. He was an assistant lecturer at the LSE until the Second World War started when he moved to the Ministry of Economic Warfare. In 1942 he became the First Secretary at the British Embassy in Washington.
In 1945 he became Special Assistant to the European Director of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
. He became involved in the forming of a secretariat for a new international trade organisation, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
in 1948 and became the first Executive Secretary.
White died aged 67 on the 27 January 1980 in France after suffering a heart attack while swimming.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(1913–1980) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
administrator
Administration (government)
The term administration, as used in the context of government, differs according to jurisdiction.-United States:In United States usage, the term refers to the executive branch under a specific president , for example: the "Barack Obama administration." It can also mean an executive branch agency...
and economist. He was founder and first executive secretary of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was negotiated during the UN Conference on Trade and Employment and was the outcome of the failure of negotiating governments to create the International Trade Organization . GATT was signed in 1947 and lasted until 1993, when it was replaced by the World...
between 1948 and 1965. He was the first director-general of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade from 1965 to 1968.
Born on the 26 January 1913, White was educated at the Westminster City School
Westminster City School
Westminster City School is a voluntary aided Christian school for boys in Westminster, London. The school has 800 students on its roll, and it offers 105 of 130 places each year to boys practising the Christian faith in the Anglican dioceses of London and Southwark. The other 25 spaces are...
and the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. He graduated as a LLB
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
with first class honours and in 1938 was called to the bar by the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
. He was an assistant lecturer at the LSE until the Second World War started when he moved to the Ministry of Economic Warfare. In 1942 he became the First Secretary at the British Embassy in Washington.
In 1945 he became Special Assistant to the European Director of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration was an international relief agency, largely dominated by the United States but representing 44 nations. Founded in 1943, it became part of the United Nations in 1945, was especially active in 1945 and 1946, and largely shut down...
. He became involved in the forming of a secretariat for a new international trade organisation, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was negotiated during the UN Conference on Trade and Employment and was the outcome of the failure of negotiating governments to create the International Trade Organization . GATT was signed in 1947 and lasted until 1993, when it was replaced by the World...
in 1948 and became the first Executive Secretary.
White died aged 67 on the 27 January 1980 in France after suffering a heart attack while swimming.