[Index]
Secretary-General Appoints Brigita Schmögnerová
as New Executive Secretary
of Economic Commission for Europe
Geneva, 28 February 2002
The Secretary-General announced today the appointment of Brigita Schmögnerová
as the new Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for
Europe (UNECE), at the Under-Secretary-General level.
Ms. Schmögnerová was born on 17 November 1947 in Bratislava, Slovak
Republic. She completed her university studies, earning her PhD degree from
the School of Economics in Bratislava. She pursued professional training at
the University of Athens and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Ms.
Schmögnerová worked as a researcher in the Institute of Economics,
Slovak Academy of Sciences, and as a lecturer at the University of Economics,
Bratislava.
Ms. Schmögnerová served as economic adviser to the President of
the Slovak Republic (1993), Deputy Prime Minister (1994), and Finance Minister
(1998-2002). From 1995-1998 she served as a Member of Parliament.
Ms. Schmögnerová was awarded the World Finance Minister of the
Year Award (2000) by Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC, which cited her
courage in implementing important reforms in the banking sector, macroeconomic
stabilization programmes, tax administration and fiscal management.
In her capacity as a Governor or alternate Governor, Ms. Schmögnerová
worked closely with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. She also contributed to
the Slovak membership in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) (2000) and acceleration of the Slovak pre-accession process to the
European Union.
Ms. Schmögnerová has published numerous articles in the fields
of econometrics, privatization and transition. She has also written books
of poetry and essays.
Ms. Schmögnerová is married, with one son.
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Ref: ECE/GEN/02/03