Mercedes Araoz

Economist, specialist on trade related issues and development. Political leader and senior public management at the executive level; member of several executive boards in international institutions and private corporations; multilateral organization representation and academic work and consulting for multilateral organizations.

Currently, she is a professor and researcher at the Universidad del Pacifico and chairs the boards of INPERU, CAVALI, and NOVANK. She is the Vice President of the board of Lima Exchange market, Member of the board of Compartamos Banco in Peru and of Gentera and Compartamos Banco in Mexico and PROMIGAS. She co-chairs of Academic Advisory Council of the United Nations Forum on Voluntary Sustainability Standards. Additionally, she is a board member of the Think Tank: Friends of Multilateralism Group. She has been member of the executive board of Global Crop Trust and Commissioner at the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development (UNESCO and International Telecommunication Union-TU). She has also been the Representative of the Inter-American Development Bank in Mexico.

She has served as Vice President and Congresswoman of the Republic of Peru, President of the Council of Ministers, Minister of Economy and Finance, Minister of Production, Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, and Executive Director of the National Competitiveness Council.

She holds a Master degree and is a Ph.D. in Economics from University of Miami, Florida, USA, and Bachelor and Licentiate in Economics from Universidad del Pacífico.