Maria Livanos Cattaui

Former Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce

Maria Livanos Cattaui served as Secretary General of the ICC from July 1996 to June 2005. In that capacity, she championed the role of business in the global economy.

She has been instrumental in establishing a global partnership between business and the United Nations, leading to greater business input into UN economic activities.

Previously, Mrs. Cattaui worked with the World Economic Forum in Geneva from 1977 to 1996, where she became Managing Director and was responsible for the organization’s Annual Meeting in Davos.

She is currently a Member of the Board of Directors of Petroplus Holdings AG, Switzerland — and Vice-Chairman of the International Crisis Group in Brussels.

Mrs. Cattaui also holds board and advisory board memberships on the EastWest Institute (New York), the Institute of International Education (New York), the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) — and the International Youth Foundation (Baltimore).

Mrs. Cattaui, who is of Swiss nationality and Greek origin, was educated in the United States. She is an Honours graduate of Harvard University and holds an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from York University, Toronto.