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Thomas Mirow assumes EBRD Presidency
Thomas Mirow took office today as the fifth president of the EBRD, replacing Jean Lemierre who has stepped down at the end of two full four-year terms.
Mr Mirow moved to the Bank from his position as State Secretary at the German Finance Ministry, where his responsibilities included national and international financial market policies and the activities of international financial institutions and multilateral development banks.
Speaking on his first day as President, Mr Mirow praised the countries in the EBRD region for the remarkable progress they had made. He added, “The road ahead remains difficult. There is much to do. The EBRD is equipped and more than willing to be a long-term partner for these countries as they evolve into fully-fledged market economies.”
Mr Mirow assumes the presidency as the Bank is shifting the focus of its activities further east and south-east in line with the requirements of the region and at a time when EBRD nations are facing the dual challenges of global economic slowdown and rising inflation because of spiralling food and fuel prices.
“Especially now the EBRD is needed as a stabilising influence in uncertain times,” he added.
Mr Mirow, 55, was born in Paris. After graduating from the University of Bonn in 1975, he worked as the assistant and then as chef de cabinet to former German Chancellor Willy Brandt.
After serving as Director of the Press Office of the city-state of Hamburg, Mr Mirow held several senior positions within the Hamburg administration, where, between 1997 and 2001, he was State Minister for Economics. He also held several senior management and advisory positions in the private sector. He was Director General for Economic Policy in the Federal Chancellery in 2005 and appointed State Secretary at the Federal Finance Ministry in November 2005.
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