José Ángel Gurría
Encyclopedia
José Ángel Gurría Treviño (born May 8, 1950, Ciudad Madero
, Tamaulipas
) is a Mexican
economist
and diplomat. He is the current secretary general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) since June 1, 2006.
Gurría graduated with a bachelor's degree in Economics from the National Autonomous University of Mexico
(UNAM) and undertook postgraduate studies at the University of Leeds
, in the United Kingdom
and at Harvard University
, in the United States
. He served as Secretary of Foreign Affairs
(1994–1997) and as Secretary of Finance (1998–2000) in the Ernesto Zedillo
administration. In Foreign Affairs he opposed the Helms-Burton Act
and in Treasury he restructured the foreign debt. He also negotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) and requested financial aid during the 1994 crisis
.
Gurría has also been President and CEO of the National Development Bank (Nafin) of Mexico and President and CEO of the Foreign Trade Bank (Bancomext). From 2003 to 2005 he was a chair member of the Inter-American Development Bank
's External Advisory Group.
He was the architect of the economic stabilization of the economy, partially by cutting government spending six times during the Zedillo administration. The effect of his work has been felt during Vicente Fox
's administration who nominated him to lead the OECD in July 2005.
Since 2010 he has also served as a Commissioner for the Broadband Commission for Digital Development
which leverages broadband technologies as a key enabler for social and economic development.
Gurría speaks six languages: Spanish
, French
, English
, Portuguese
, Italian
and German
.
The OECD, on September 30th 2010, reappointed Angel Gurría to a second five-year mandate when his current term finishes on 1 June 2011.
Ciudad Madero
Madero, formally Ciudad Madero, is a city and its coextensive municipality in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. The city is located at 22.27°N, 97.83°W in the extreme southeastern part of the state, on the Gulf of Mexico, just north and east of Tampico but still on the banks of the Río Pánuco, and...
, Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...
) is a Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
and diplomat. He is the current secretary general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an international economic organisation of 34 countries founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade...
(OECD) since June 1, 2006.
Gurría graduated with a bachelor's degree in Economics from the National Autonomous University of Mexico
National Autonomous University of Mexico
The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a university in Mexico. UNAM was founded on 22 September 1910 by Justo Sierra as a liberal alternative to the Roman Catholic-sponsored Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (National Autonomous...
(UNAM) and undertook postgraduate studies at the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He served as Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Mexico)
In Mexico, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs is a member of the federal executive cabinet with responsibility for implementing the country's foreign policy. The secretary is appointed by the President of the Republic and heads the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs ...
(1994–1997) and as Secretary of Finance (1998–2000) in the Ernesto Zedillo
Ernesto Zedillo
Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León is a Mexican economist and politician. He served as President of Mexico from December 1, 1994 to November 30, 2000, as the last of the uninterrupted seventy year line of Mexican presidents from the Institutional Revolutionary Party...
administration. In Foreign Affairs he opposed the Helms-Burton Act
Helms-Burton Act
The Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996 is a United States federal law which strengthens and continues the United States embargo against Cuba...
and in Treasury he restructured the foreign debt. He also negotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA) and requested financial aid during the 1994 crisis
1994 economic crisis in Mexico
The 1994 Economic Crisis in Mexico, widely known as the Mexican peso crisis, was caused by the sudden devaluation of the Mexican peso in December 1994....
.
Gurría has also been President and CEO of the National Development Bank (Nafin) of Mexico and President and CEO of the Foreign Trade Bank (Bancomext). From 2003 to 2005 he was a chair member of the Inter-American Development Bank
Inter-American Development Bank
The Inter-American Development Bank is the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean...
's External Advisory Group.
He was the architect of the economic stabilization of the economy, partially by cutting government spending six times during the Zedillo administration. The effect of his work has been felt during Vicente Fox
Vicente Fox
Vicente Fox Quesada is a Mexican former politician who served as President of Mexico from 1 December 2000 to 30 November 2006 and currently serves as co-President of the Centrist Democrat International, an international organization of Christian democratic political parties.Fox was elected...
's administration who nominated him to lead the OECD in July 2005.
Since 2010 he has also served as a Commissioner for the Broadband Commission for Digital Development
Broadband Commission for Digital Development
The Broadband Commission for Digital Development was established in May 2010 as a joint initiative by the International Telecommunication Union and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization...
which leverages broadband technologies as a key enabler for social and economic development.
Gurría speaks six languages: Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
The OECD, on September 30th 2010, reappointed Angel Gurría to a second five-year mandate when his current term finishes on 1 June 2011.