Romano Prodi

Former Prime Minister of Italy and former President of the European Commission,

Romano Prodi served twice as the Prime Minister of Italy, from 1996 to 1998 and from 2006 to 2008. He was also President of the European Commission from 1999 to 2005. Currently he is President of the Foundation for Worldwide Cooperation.

Romano Prodi began his career as an assistant professor of industrial organisation and policy in 1963 at the University of Bologna. He then became an associate professor in 1966 and a full professor in 1971.

From 1978 to 1979 he was Minister of Industry of Italy and from 1982 to 1989 he was chairman of the Institute for Industrial Reconstruction (IRI), which was the largest Italian public holding. In 1995 Romano Prodi founded the "Olive tree" centre-left coalition, winning the 1996 election, which lead to his first appointment as Prime Minister.

In July 2008 he was appointed Chairman of the UN-AU High Level Panel for Peacekeeping in Africa. From February 2009 to December 2013, he was Professor-at-large at Brown University (USA) and since 2010 he is Professor at the China Europe International Business School in Shanghai. He was also visiting professor at Harvard University.

He is married to Flavia Franzoni and has two sons.

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