Mathias Cormann is the OECD's sixth Secretary-General, his five-year term having commenced on 1 June 2021.
Working with OECD members, his priorities as Secretary-General are:
- Promoting policies to secure strong, sustainable, inclusive and resilient economic development and growth;
- Providing global leadership on climate action to help secure global net zero by 2050 by facilitating the diffusion of evidence based best policy practice and improved international cooperation;
- Seizing all the opportunities of the digital transformation and AI while mitigating and better managing all of the evolving associated risks and disruptions;
- Promoting well-functioning global markets and a global level playing field with a rules-based trading system in good working order;
- Advancing OECD standards through membership and partnerships and a sound approach to sustainable development.
Prior to his appointment to the OECD, Mathias 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.
Mathias was born and raised in the German-speaking part of Belgium.
He migrated to Australia in 1996, attracted by the great lifestyle and opportunities on offer in Western Australia.
Before migrating to Perth, Mathias had graduated in law at the Flemish Catholic University of Louvain (Leuven), following studies at the University of Namur and, as part of the European Erasmus Student Exchange Program, at the University of East Anglia.
Between 1997 and 2003, he worked as Chief of Staff as well as Senior Adviser to various State and Federal Ministers in Australia and for the Premier of Western Australia.
Between 2003 and 2007, Mathias worked for major Western Australian health insurer HBF in a range of senior management roles.
In 2001, realising a childhood dream, Mathias obtained his private pilot’s licence.
Mathias grew up speaking German and graduated in law following studies in French, Flemish and English.
He is married to Hayley, a Perth lawyer, and they have two young daughters, Isabelle and Charlotte.
