Trade Federation Directorate

It consisted of seven members, one of which was the Viceroy, who also served as the chair of the Directorate and, if a Neimoidian, leader of the Neimoidian Inner Circle. The Directorate elected its own members, and chose the Viceroy, Deputy Viceroy, and Senator—although the latter two did not appear to be members of the Directorate. The Directorate membership was influenced behind the scenes by the annual elite gatherings on the Sojourn moon.

As of 33 BBY, the Directorate consisted of:

• One Neimoidian (ViceroyNute Gunray)
• One Gran
• One Sullustan
• Four Humans (two from Kuat, one from Balmorra, and one from Filve)

The Neimoidians Hath Monchar, Lott Dod, and Rune Haako served as Deputy Viceroy, Senator, and Legal Counsel/Settlement Officer, respectively. They acted as Nute Gunray's inner circle outside the formal hierarchy and supported his ascension to strengthen their own positions.

At the Eriadu Trade Summit in 33 BBY, all non-Neimoidian members of the Directorate were killed by faulty security droids supplied to Gunray by Darth Sidious, although all others believed it to be a Nebula Front act—even the Jedi and the Front themselves.

As a result, Viceroy Nute Gunray assumed complete control of the Federation, thus giving him a free hand to order militarization and the Invasion of Naboo. He replaced the fallen Directorate members with Neimoidian aides such as Hath Monchar, legal counsel Rune Haako, Lott Dod and flagship captain Daultay Dofine. These were ideal, as they were willing to do Gunray's and, more indirectly, Sidious's bidding.

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