About the Event
The Center for Emerging Markets hosted a panel discussion on Trade Law and Development in Practice: Multi-Stakeholder Approaches. This hybrid event featured the editor, Sonia E. Rolland, alongside contributors from around the world. Together, they discussed how international trade law shapes intellectual property, industrial policy, digital transformation, and gender equity in emerging markets.
Event Speakers
Sonia E. Rolland
Sonia Rolland is a professor of law and business at Northeastern University and the editor of Research Handbook on Trade Law and Development: Multi-Stakeholder Approaches (Edward Elgar, 2025). Her research focuses on international trade, development, energy, and sustainability, with publications in leading journals and three major books. She frequently advises international and governmental organizations, including the United Nations, the UK Government Legal Directorate, and the India Institute of Foreign Trade, and serves on the EU Commission's expert list for trade and sustainable development.
Preet Aulakh
Preet Aulakh is a professor of strategy at York University's Schulich School of Business, where he holds the Pierre Lassonde Chair in International Business. His research examines international alliances, cross-border technology transfers, and the globalization of emerging economy firms. He has authored several books, including Coping with Global Institutional Change (Cambridge University Press, 2022), and has held visiting appointments at the Indian School of Business and IIM Calcutta. His work has been widely published and cited in the fields of strategy and international business.
Verena Tandrayen
Verena Tandrayen Ragoobur is an associate professor in the Department of Economics and Statistics at the University of Mauritius. Her expertise lies in international trade, finance, and economic policy, with a focus on development in small and emerging economies. She has published extensively and contributes to projects addressing digital trade, financial inclusion, and gender equality in the global economy.
Varsha Mooneeram
Varsha Mooneeram-Chadee is Head of Department in the Faculty of Law and Management at the University of Mauritius. Her research and teaching focus on the intersection of law, management, and social development in emerging economies. She contributes to international collaborations on trade, gender equity, and governance, bringing a practitioner's perspective to the evolving role of law and policy in sustainable development.
Boopen Seetanah
Boopen Seetanah is a professor of international economics and finance at the University of Mauritius. He serves as Co-Chair of the WTO Chair at UoM and Director of Research at the International Centre for Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality. His research spans tourism, trade, transport, and development economics, and he has consulted for global organizations including UNEP, UNDP, UNCTAD, the World Bank, and the ILO. He also serves on editorial boards and reviews for numerous leading academic journals.
About the Nardone Family Seminar Series
Made possible by a gift from David R. Nardone, the Nardone Family Seminar Series at the Center for Emerging Markets brings academics and practitioners to Northeastern University to share insights about emerging markets with the Boston community.
The longtime series has hosted over 150 speakers since the Center for Emerging Markets' inception, thanks to Nardone's support. Speakers have discussed topics ranging from family business to climate resilience, fintech trends to medical innovation, corporate governance to international policy, and more. These speakers have similarly come to CEM from a diverse array of academic and professional backgrounds and have shared their knowledge on research, trends, and innovations touching nearly every continent.