Place and date of birth: Madrid, 1945. 

Academic qualifications, distinctions, and awards: 

1967: Graduate in economics from the University of Madrid. 

1969: Government economist and trade expert. 

Career details: 

1969-1971: Head of the Directorate General for Foreign Trade in the Ministry of Trade. 

1971-1973: Head of the Balance of Payments Office at the Ministry of Trade. 

1974-1978: Head of the Spanish Trade Office in Moscow. 

1978-1982: Technical Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy and Trade. 

1983-1987: Deputy Director General of the Foreign Department of the Banco de España. 

1987-2000: Director General of International Affairs of the Banco de España. 

1987-1993: Banco de España Representative on the Committee of Alternates of the Governors of the European Community Member Country Central Banks. 

1989-1992: Director of the ICO (Official Credit Institute). 

1994-1998: Banco de España Representative on the Committee of Alternates of the European Monetary Institute. 

1998-2000: Banco de España Representative on the Committee of International Affairs at the European Central Bank. 

1998-2012: Economics coordinator for the magazine Revista de Libros of the Fundación Caja Madrid. 

2001-2004: Director of the Country Risk Department of the Banco de España. 

2005-2008: Executive Director for Spain's group at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, where he chaired the Policies and Evaluation Committee for two years. 

2007 to date: Founding member and sponsor of Fundación Transición Española (the Spanish Transition Foundation). 

2009-2011: Adviser to the Associate Directorate General International Affairs of the Banco de España. 

2012: Council Member of the Banco de España. 

2012: to date Governor of the Banco de España.