Pascal Lamy
Encyclopedia
Pascal Lamy is the Director-General
of the World Trade Organization
, a French political advisor, a businessman, and a former European Commissioner for Trade
. Lamy is Honorary President of Paris-based think tank Notre Europe
.
, Hauts-de-Seine, a suburb of Paris, he graduated from the prestigious Sciences Po Paris, from HEC and ÉNA
, graduating second in his year of those specialising in economics. Lamy is also an honorary graduate of the University of Warwick
.
Lamy then joined the civil service, and in this role he ended up serving as an adviser to Jacques Delors
as Economics and Finance Minister
and Pierre Mauroy
as Prime Minister
.
He has been a member of the French Socialist Party
since 1969.
in 1984, he took Lamy with him to serve as chef de cabinet, which he did until the end of Delors' term in 1994. During his time there, Lamy became known as the Beast of the Berlaymont
, the Gendarme
and Exocet
due to his habit of ordering civil servants
, even Directors-General
(head of departments) "precisely what to do – or else." He was seen as ruling Delor's office with a "rod of iron", with no-one able to bypass or manipulate him and those who tried being "banished to one of the less pleasant European postings".
Lamy briefly moved into business at Crédit Lyonnais
. Promoted to second in command, he was involved in the restructuring
and privatisation of the bank. Returning to the European Commission in 1999, he was appointed European Commissioner for Trade
by Commission President Romano Prodi
. Lamy served to the expiry of the commission's term in 2004. His ability to manage the powerful civil servants in his department was noted.
|-
|-
|-
Director-General of the World Trade Organization
The Director-General of the World Trade Organization is responsible for supervising the administrative functions of the World Trade Organization...
of the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
, a French political advisor, a businessman, and a former European Commissioner for Trade
European Commissioner for Trade
The European Commissioner for Trade is the member of the European Commission responsible for the European Union's common commercial policy...
. Lamy is Honorary President of Paris-based think tank Notre Europe
Notre Europe
Notre Europe is an independent think tank based in Paris. Founded in 1996 by Jacques Delors, it aims to "think a united Europe."-Research:Notre Europe's research is focused around four axes:...
.
Early life
Born in Levallois-PerretLevallois-Perret
Levallois-Perret is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.-Name:The name Levallois-Perret comes from two housing developments, Champerret and Village Levallois , and which resulted in the incorporation of the...
, Hauts-de-Seine, a suburb of Paris, he graduated from the prestigious Sciences Po Paris, from HEC and ÉNA
École nationale d'administration
The École Nationale d'Administration , one of the most prestigious of French graduate schools , was created in 1945 by Charles de Gaulle to democratise access to the senior civil service. It is now entrusted with the selection and initial training of senior French officials...
, graduating second in his year of those specialising in economics. Lamy is also an honorary graduate of the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
.
Lamy then joined the civil service, and in this role he ended up serving as an adviser to Jacques Delors
Jacques Delors
Jacques Lucien Jean Delors is a French economist and politician, the eighth President of the European Commission and the first person to serve three terms in that office .-French Politics:...
as Economics and Finance Minister
Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry (France)
The Minister for the Economy, Industry and Employment , or Minister of Finance for short, is one of the most prominent positions in the cabinet of France after the Prime Minister....
and Pierre Mauroy
Pierre Mauroy
Pierre Mauroy is a French Socialist politician and former Prime Minister under François Mitterrand . Mauroy also served as Mayor of Lille from 1973 to 2001. Mauroy is currently emeritus mayor of Lille.-Biography:...
as Prime Minister
Prime Minister of France
The Prime Minister of France in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic...
.
He has been a member of the French Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
since 1969.
European Commission
When Delors became President of the European CommissionPresident of the European Commission
The President of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission ― the executive branch of the :European Union ― the most powerful officeholder in the EU. The President is responsible for allocating portfolios to members of the Commission and can reshuffle or dismiss them if needed...
in 1984, he took Lamy with him to serve as chef de cabinet, which he did until the end of Delors' term in 1994. During his time there, Lamy became known as the Beast of the Berlaymont
Berlaymont building
The Berlaymont is an office building in Brussels, Belgium that houses the headquarters of the European Commission, which is the executive of the European Union...
, the Gendarme
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
and Exocet
Exocet
The Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Hundreds were fired in combat during the 1980s.-Etymology:...
due to his habit of ordering civil servants
European Civil Service
The European Civil Service is the civil service serving the institutions of the European Union, of which the largest employer is the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union...
, even Directors-General
Directorate-General
A Directorate-General is a branch of an administration dedicated to a specific field of expertise.* The European Commission: Commission Directorates-General are each headed by a European Commissioner;* The European Patent Office: EPO Directorates-General;...
(head of departments) "precisely what to do – or else." He was seen as ruling Delor's office with a "rod of iron", with no-one able to bypass or manipulate him and those who tried being "banished to one of the less pleasant European postings".
Lamy briefly moved into business at Crédit Lyonnais
Crédit Lyonnais
Crédit Lyonnais is a historic French bank. In the early 1990s it was the largest French bank, majority state-owned at that point. Crédit Lyonnais was the subject of poor management during that period which almost led to its bankruptcy in 1993...
. Promoted to second in command, he was involved in the restructuring
Restructuring
Restructuring is the corporate management term for the act of reorganizing the legal, ownership, operational, or other structures of a company for the purpose of making it more profitable, or better organized for its present needs...
and privatisation of the bank. Returning to the European Commission in 1999, he was appointed European Commissioner for Trade
European Commissioner for Trade
The European Commissioner for Trade is the member of the European Commission responsible for the European Union's common commercial policy...
by Commission President Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi is an Italian politician and statesman. He served as the Prime Minister of Italy, from 17 May 1996 to 21 October 1998 and from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008...
. Lamy served to the expiry of the commission's term in 2004. His ability to manage the powerful civil servants in his department was noted.
WTO
On 13 May 2005, Pascal Lamy was chosen as the next Director-General of the World Trade Organization, and took office on 1 September 2005 for a four-year term. On 30 April 2009, Lamy was re-elected unanimously by the WTO general council for a second term of four years, beginning 1 September 2009.Personal life
Lamy is married and has three sons. His hobbies are running and cycling. While working under President Delors, he was seen jogging in Brussels despite his meagre diet. With such exercising being viewed as a form of self-abuse by other civil servants, this only added to his harsh reputation in the Commission.Select publications
- Lamy, Pascal. The Economic Summit and the European Community. Bissell Paper No. 5. Toronto: University of Toronto, Centre for International Studies, 1988
External links
- About Pascal Lamy
- Pascal Lamy's Commissioner's profile
- Notre Europe
- "Pascal Lamy – Managing Global Expectations", The GlobalistThe GlobalistThe Globalist is a daily online magazine that "focuses on the economics, politics and culture" of globalization. "The Globalist" "aims to provide current and up-to-date news analysis and perspectives on wide-ranging global issues that touch all global citizens"...
, 23 February 2006 - Pascal Lamy: Free Trade and Interdependence Help Promote Freedom – video report by Democracy Now!Democracy Now!Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...
|-
|-
|-