I see Big Phil has formally thrown his hat in the ring to become the next director general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the global trade body, which is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Speaking in Brussels this week, Hogan said he wanted to clean up the WTO and help deal with all the trade issues “bedevilling” the global economy right now. I’m told he really fancies his chances of landing the job.

The Dealer’s connections in Geneva say the HR manager of the WTO is looking for a very specific candidate to fill the post

The word is the EU’s Trade Commissioner has the backing of US trade representative Robert Lighthizer – a key powerbroker in global trade politics.

However, whether Hogan fits the job spec is another question. The Dealer’s connections in Geneva say the HR manager of the WTO is looking for a very specific candidate to fill the post – namely a female African diplomat.

Now The Dealer is no expert on ethnicity, but “Big Phil” Hogan from Tullaroan in Co Kilkenny couldn’t be further from the desired candidate, it would seem. However, that never stopped Hogan before. We should know in the next few months if he will be swapping Brussels for Geneva.