Today is Duncan Wood’s first day as president of the Pacific Council on International Policy

MCALLEN, Texas – Today is former Mexico Institute director Duncan Wood’s first day as president and CEO of the Pacific Council on International Policy in Los Angeles.

According to its website, the mission of the Pacific Council is to build the capacity of Los Angeles and California “for impact on global issues, discourse, and policy.” Its vision is: “Contributing to a world in which a spirit of internationalism drives global engagement and diverse perspectives inform policy.”

Wood said on LinkedIn: “I am delighted to announce that today I take on a new role as president and CEO of the Pacific Council in Los Angeles,” Wood said, in a message on LinkedIn. “I am deeply grateful to my colleagues at the Wilson Center for 11.5 years of professional growth and a whole lot of fun. Now it’s time to build the Pacific Council and strengthen the West Coast dialogue on international affairs. Watch this space as we bring the world to LA and take LA to the world!”

To which the acting director of the Mexico Institute, Lila Abed, responded: “A huge congratulations for this new role, Duncan! We are going to deeply miss you, but cannot wait to see all that you accomplish! Felicidades!”

Wood shot back: “Now we build the East Coast-West Coast alliance!”

Wood, who hails from southeast England, has visited the Rio Grande Valley to give keynote speeches, usually about Mexico politics and energy policy, on a number of occasions. Among those to have sponsored his visits are IBC Bank, the Rio Grande Valley Partnership, the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, and the City of McAllen. He is slated to return to the Valley in September to speak at an event hosted by Texas Regional Bank. 

The Mexico Institute is part of the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. In his 11 and a half years at the Mexico Institute, Wood has served as both a director and a senior advisor. 

On his last day at the Mexico Institute, Wood moderated a panel discussion about the administration Mexico’s incoming president, Claudia Sheinbaum, is currently forming. It was part of the Mexico Institute’s 10th Annual Building a Competitive US-Mexico Border Conference. The event is co-hosed by the Border Trade Alliance.

After sharing some light-hearted banter with Abed, Wood said: “As Lila intimated, this is, in fact, not only my last panel at the Wilson Center, it’s my last day working here. It’s been an extraordinary ride. And I just want to say this that I am so happy that Lila is continuing the extraordinary work of the Mexico Institute. She’s a terrific leader. Fantastic to have somebody who has so much energy at the helm. Also to have somebody who is young and, this is relevant in the current context, to have a woman running the Mexican Institute. Very, very important. I’m delighted to see that.”

The tenth meeting of Building a Competitive US-Mexico Border Conference considered a range of cross-border issues including AI governance, infrastructure, trade, and how elections on both sides of the border will shape the future of the US-Mexico bilateral relationship. 

“This daylong conference featured panel discussions with US and Mexican lawmakers, officials, and private sector representatives to spark a vibrant and productive dialogue focused on further strengthening the competitiveness of the US-Mexico border region,” the Mexico Institute stated.

Editor’s Note: To watch the panel discussion Wood moderated click here and go 3 hours, 13 minutes into the video recording.

On LinkedIn, Wood describes himself as “a think tank entrepreneur and innovator working to improve the cross-over between academia, policy and business. Two decades of experience in research, fundraising, board relations and organizational development. Currently developing new initiatives on global supply chains, America’s alliances, and global energy.”

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