Mário Centeno, a Harvard-trained economist, had no previous experience in government when he was appointed Portugal's finance minister in November 2015. Two years later, he was elected president of the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers in what he views as an acknowledgment of Portugal’s economic turnaround.
“It is only fair to view my election as a recognition of our people’s efforts and the achievements of the Portuguese economy in recent years,” he says. “Portugal today is an example of a successful economic adjustment in the euro area. We managed to build on the efforts made during the crisis years, steering the economy out of recession, reactivating the job market and delivering sustainable and inclusive growth.”
