Degree in Law and Economics from the Universidad Complutense of Madrid.

He has been Adviser of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on management of external debt and Adviser of the World Bank on trade liberalisation, as well as Adviser of several governments on privatisations.

He developed his professional career in the public sector as Counsellor for Trade of the Spanish Embassy in South Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Madagascar and Zimbabwe; Director of the Foreign Trade Information Centre of the Ministry of Commerce; Director-General of Services and Coordination of the Ministry of Commerce; Secretary-General Technical Expert of Industry and Energy; Director of Management of Foreign Assets and International Relations of the Bank of Spain; Secretary-General of Trade; Secretary of State for Treasury and Secretary of the Economic Affairs Committee. He has also been Deputy Governor of the IMF and the World Bank, and Governor of the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the African Development Bank.

In the private sector, he has been Managing Director of the Banco Pastor, Chairman of Gas Madrid, Chairman of Pastor-Alliance, Vice Chairman of Hullas del Coto Cortés and Chairman of Fondos Galicia.

Currently, he is member of the Advisory Board of the Presidency of Banco Pastor, Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs Europe, Chairman of Plus Ultra, member of the Advisory Board of Unión Fenosa, Campofrío, CGNU and Telepizza.

He collaborates with several non-profit organisations; is Honorary Chairman of the High Council of the Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Navigation; Chairman of the Business Leadership Forum of the Instituto de Empresa; member of the Germán Sánchez Ruipérez Foundation; Chairman of the CEPR in London; member of the Bretton Woods Committee in Washington; Chairman of the Business School ESCP-EAP and Director of the Galicia Institute of Economic Studies.

He has publish 13 books (4 books in English, 8 in Spanish and 1 in Chinese).  Author of more than 300 articles in newspapers and regular economics columnist at  “El País” in Madrid

He is member of the Advisory Committee of FRIDE.