Mario Draghi is an Italian economist, banker, and politician who served as the President of the European Central Bank (ECB) from November 2011 to October 2019. Born on September 3, 1947, in Rome, Italy,
Draghi earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Rome La Sapienza and later obtained a Ph.D. in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Before leading the ECB, Draghi held various positions in both academia and public service. He was a professor of economics at the University of Florence, worked at the World Bank, and served as the Director-General of the Italian Treasury.
Additionally, he was a member of the board of several international organizations, such as the Bank for International Settlements and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Draghi’s tenure at the ECB was marked by his efforts to preserve the stability of the euro during the European debt crisis.
His famous 2012 speech, where he declared that the ECB would do “whatever it takes” to save the euro, was a turning point in the crisis.
Under his leadership, the ECB implemented unconventional monetary policies, such as negative interest rates and massive bond-buying programs, to stimulate economic growth and combat deflationary pressures.
After his term at the ECB, Mario Draghi was appointed as Italy’s Prime Minister in February 2021, leading a national unity government during a critical period for the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences.