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Angel Gurría

Angel Gurría

Secretary-General, OECD, Paris

Angel Gurría was born on May 8th, 1950, in Mexico. He joined the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) following a distinguished career in public service. As Mexico’s Minister of Foreign Affairs (Dec. 1994-Jan. 1998), he made dialogue and consensus-building one of the hallmarks of his approach to global issues. From January 1998 to December 2000, he was Mexico’s Minister of Finance and Public Credit, ensuring a smooth economic transition between different administrations.

As Secretary-General of the OECD since 2006, Mr. Gurría has firmly established the Organisation as a pillar of the global economic governance architecture  – including the G7, G20 and APEC –  and a reference point in the design and implementation of better policies for better lives. He has broadened the OECD’s membership with the accession of Chile, Estonia, Israel, Latvia and Slovenia, and has made the Organisation more inclusive by strengthening its links with key emerging economies.  Under his watch, the OECD is leading the effort to reform the international tax system, and to improve governance frameworks in anti-corruption and other fields. He has also heralded a new growth narrative that promotes the well-being of people, including women, gender and youth, and has scaled up the OECD contribution to the global agenda, including the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Mr. Gurría holds a B.A. degree in Economics from UNAM (Mexico) and a M.A. degree in Economics from Leeds University (United Kingdom). He was awarded “Medalla  Rectoral” by the University of Chile in October 2013, the Nueva Economía Award (Premio Nueva Economía) in March 2015, Doctor Honoris Causa by the Universidad del Valle de México in January 2016, Ben Gurion Leadership Award in January 2016, Doctor Honoris Causa by the European University of Madrid in February 2016, Doctor Honoris Causa by the Rey Juan Carlos University in March 2016, the Global Leadership Award by the Institute of the Americas in November 2016 and a Distinguished Visiting Professor award by the Centro de Educación Técnica y Superior (CETYS) in November 2016. In 2012, Mr Gurría was awarded an honorary degree by a leading Slovak university.

His government distinctions include Grand officier de la Légion d’honneur, Chevalier dans l’ordre du Mérite agricole, Académico Correspondiente para México de la Real Academia de Ciencias Económicas de España, Medalla al Mérito Administrativo Internacional “Gustavo Martínez Cabañas” (2012), Gwangwha Medal for Diplomatic Service (Korea, 2013), Medal of the French Senate (2015), Orden Bernardo O’Higgins en el grado de Gran Cruz (Chile, 2015) and Orden de San Carlos en el grado de Grand Cruz (Colombia, 2016).

Mr. Gurría is an honorary member of Spain’s “Real Colegio de Economistas” (November 2012), member of the United Nations Secretary General Advisory Board (UNGSAB), Member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Water Security, Member of the International Advisory Board of Governors of the Centre for International Governance Innovation, Member of the Advisory Board for the Global Green Growth Forum (3GF), Member of the Royal Academy of Economic and Financial Sciences of Spain.

He is married and has three children.