Speaker

Mathias Cormann is the 6th Secretary-General of the OECD. Prior to his appointment in 2021, he served as the Australian Minister for Finance, the Leader of the Government in the Australian Senate and as Federal Senator representing the State of Western Australia. In these roles, he has been a strong advocate for the positive power of open markets, free trade and the importance of a rules-based international trading system. He was born and raised in Belgium, graduated in law from the Flemish Catholic University of Louvain (Leuven), following studies at the University of Namur and the University of East Anglia. He migrated to Australia in 1996. Between 1997 and 2003, he worked as Chief of Staff and Senior Adviser to various Ministers and the Premier of Western Australia. Between 2003 and 2007, he worked for major Western Australian health insurer HBF in a range of senior management roles.