It was unsurprising that Mike took a global leadership role in trade after he left politics. As Minister of Overseas Trade and Marketing, he was involved with the GATT trade round negotiations in their trade missions to Australia, China, Japan, the Middle East, Latin America, and across Europe. There aren't many people who can say they led both New Zealand and the world, but Mike is one of them. When he left Parliament to become the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Mike took the same mentality he had as a politician in New Zealand. He approached trade as a way to help those in need, except this time he broadened his constituency and had the aim of helping entire nations in need. He saw trade as an opportunity to lift people out of poverty and to help developing countries grow economically. It was a way to help the little guy. Always keeping New Zealand close to his heart, he also saw trade as an opportunity for us to grow international relations and build a stronger economic base. We owe much to his hard work and dedication. 