Ricardo Díez-Hochlietner

After studying for his baccalaureate in Alicante, he obtained his doctorate in Political Science from the Universidad Complutense of Madrid. He also holds a degree in Law from the Universidad Complutense of Madrid and a diploma in European Economics from the University Libre de Bruxelles.

Since 1968, as a State Commercial Technician, he has held various posts in the Spanish Administration. He was one of the members of the working group for the negotiation of Spain’s accession to the European Community and the end of 1985 he was appointed Secretary of State for Relations with the EC. In 1991 he was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and between 1993 and 1996 he held the post of Minister of Economy and Finance. In this capacity he was President of the ECOFIN Council during the Spanish Presidency of the EU in the second half of 1995.

In the general elections of March 1996, he was elected Member of Parliament for the province of Alicante and during his time in the Spanish Congress of Deputies he chaired the Spanish Parliament’s Joint Committee on the EU. On September 1999, he was appointed member of the European Commission, and was entrusted with the portfolio for Economic and Monetary Affairs. During this time his main activity has been the introduction of the euro and the strengthening of economic policy co-ordination in the European Union. After José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero came to power (April 2004), Solbes was second Vice-President and Minister of Economy and Finance.

In early April 2011, Pedro Solbes was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Italian electricity company Enel, owner of Endesa. Since May 2011, he has been working as an advisor and director for the banking institution Barclays. In 2013 he published his memoirs entitled Memories. Forty years of public service. He holds several decorations, such as the collar of the Order of Civil Merit (24 April 2009), the Gran Cruz de la Orden de Carlos III (10 May 1996) and the Encomienda de Número de la Orden de Isabel la Católica (30 May 1985). He is President of

FRIDE.