José Ángel Gurría

José Ángel Gurría Treviño, also known as Ángel Gurría,[4] (born 8 May 1950) is a Mexican economist and diplomat. From 1 June 2006 to 31 May 2021, he was the secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).[5]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Gurría and the second or maternal family name is Treviño.

Ángel Gurría
Ángel Gurría at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012
5th Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
In office
1 June 2006 – 31 May 2021
Preceded byDon Johnston[1]
Succeeded byMathias Cormann
Secretary of Finance and Public Credit of Mexico
In office
1 January 1998 – 30 November 2000
Preceded byGuillermo Ortiz Martínez
Succeeded byFrancisco Gil Díaz
Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico
In office
1 December 1994 – 31 December 1997[2]
Preceded byManuel Tello Macías
Succeeded byRosario Green
Personal details
Born (1950-05-08) 8 May 1950
Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico[3]
Political partyRevolutionary Institutional Party
Residence(s)Paris, France
Alma materNational Autonomous University of Mexico
ProfessionEconomist

Early life and education

Born in Tampico, Tamaulipas, 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.

Besides his native Spanish, Gurría speaks French, English, Portuguese, Italian and German.[6]

Career

Early career

Gurría served in the financial area of Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), National Development Bank (Nafinsa), Rural Development Fund, and the Office of the Mayor of Mexico City from 1968 to 1976. From 1976 to 1978, Gurría served as Mexico’s Permanent Representative to the International Coffee Organization (IFO), based in London.

In the 1980, Gurría was Mexico's lead negotiator on restructuring its foreign debt.[7]

Gurría served as President and CEO of the Foreign Trade Bank (Bancomext) from 1992 until 1993.

Career in Mexican politics

Gurría served as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs (1994–1997) in the Ernesto Zedillo administration.[8] In this capacity, he also negotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and requested financial aid during the 1994 crisis. Also, he opposed the Helms-Burton Act.

As Secretary of Finance (1998–2000),[9] Gurría oversaw the initial years of Mexico's membership in the OECD and chaired the organization's ministerial council in 1999.[10] Gurría is widely seen as the architect of the Mexican economic stabilization, partially by cutting government spending six times during the Zedillo administration. The effect of his work has been felt during the administration of President Vicente Fox who nominated him to lead the OECD in July 2005..

After leaving government office, Gurría taught International Relations and Financial Economics at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM). From 2003 to 2005 he chaired the Inter-American Development Bank's External Advisory Group.[11]

Secretary-General of OECD

In 2005, Gurría emerged at the head of a crowded field of candidates, including former Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka, to succeed Donald Johnston of Canada as the OECD secretary general. In the process, he underwent about 150 interviews in all member countries over the several months to win the backing of governments and OECD officials.[12] During his initial two terms, countries such as Chile, Estonia, and Israel joined the organization.[13] On 26 May 2015, the 34 member countries of the OECD decided to renew Gurría's mandate for the period 2016–2021.[14]

Since 2010, Gurría has been also serving as a Commissioner for the Broadband Commission for Digital Development which leverages broadband technologies as a key enabler for social and economic development.[15] He also belonged to the United Nations Secretary General’s Global Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation, chaired by former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto of Japan.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to José Ángel Gurría.

Other activities

Recognition

Gurría is a recipient of many honorary degrees, from the Universidad de Valle de México, Rey Juan Carlos University, European Universities of Leeds, Haifa, and Bratislava.[21]

Gurría has also received several awards and decorations from more than 30 countries, including the titles of Grand officier de la Légion d'honneur and chevalier dans l'ordre du Mérite agricole, awarded by the French Government. He has also received a Medal from the French Senate and the Ridder Grootkruis in de Orde van Orange-Naussau awarded by the Netherlands. Most recently, he was distinguished by the President of Korea with the Gwandwha Medal for Diplomatic Service, and also received recognition to his longstanding contribution to the development of public administration in Mexico, the Medalla al Mérito Administrativo Internacional Gustavo Martínez Cabañas, awarded by the Instituto Nacional de Administración Pública (INAP).

In 2007, Gurría was the first recipient of the Globalist of the Year Award of the Canadian International Council to honour his effort as a global citizen to promote trans-nationalism, inclusiveness and a global consciousness.[22] His award include the Ben Gurion Leadership Award, the Award Isidro Fabela by the Mexican Association of International Studies, The Nueva Economía Award, the Orden Bernardo O'Higgins en el Grado de Gran Cruz, and the Medalla Rectorial from the University of Chile.

In addition, Gurría has received the following acknowledgments:

Personal life

Gurría is married to ophthalmologist Lulu Quintana de Gurría, who runs an eye hospital for the poor in Mexico City.[25] They have three children.

See also

References
  1. "Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD". OECD. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
  2. "Los Cancilleres de México a través de su Historia" (in Spanish). Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  3. "Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General (CV)". OECD. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  4. "Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD". Oecd.org. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  5. Woodward, Richard (8 May 2009). The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Routledge. ISBN 9781134194438.
  6. Artega, José Manuel (21 July 2005). "Gurría se perfila rumbo a la OCDE" (in Spanish). El Universal. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
  7. Jonathan Fuerbringer (18 May 1989), Mexico Reaches Accord On World Bank Loan New York Times.
  8. "Leading the Way". The Business Year. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  9. Julia Preston (6 January 1998), Foreign Minister of Mexico Is Named Finance Minister New York Times.
  10. OECD names a new chief New York Times, 25 November 2005.
  11. Latin American Shadow Financial Regulatory Committee (January 2006). "A NEW ERA AT THE INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK" (PDF). www.cgdev.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2018.
  12. James Kanter (30 November 2005), Mexican plans to raise OECD's low profile New York Times.
  13. Ferdinando Giugliano (26 May 2015), OECD reappoints Angel Gurría as chief Financial Times.
  14. "Members renew Angel Gurría's mandate at the helm of the OECD". OECD. oecd members.
  15. Archived 14 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  16. Governing Board OECD/UNDP Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB).
  17. International Advisory Council Bocconi University.
  18. "Inter-American Dialogue | José Ángel Gurría". www.thedialogue.org. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  19. Advisory Board Reimagine Europa.
  20. World Economic Forum Appoints Two New Members to Board of Trustees World Economic Forum, press release of 24 January 2020.
  21. "Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General (CV) - OECD". www.oecd.org. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  22. "Angel Gurría". Institute for New Economic Thinking. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  23. "NL Ambassador OECD on Twitter". Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  24. "Resolución N° 1235/995". www.impo.com.uy. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  25. James Kanter (30 November 2005), Mexican plans to raise OECD's low profile New York Times.
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