Valerie Pecresse Former Minister for the Budget and Government’s Spokesperson Former Minister for Higher Education Government of France

Wharton Speaker >> Biography

A graduate from both HEC and ENA, Valerie Pécresse is a Judge (Maître des Requêtes) at the Conseil d’Etat, the highest administrative jurisdiction. Valérie Pecresse was appointed at the French Presidency in 1998 by Jacques Chirac, as advisor for new technologies and the internet. She was elected at the National Assembly in June 2002, re-elected in 2007 and 2012. She was appointed Minister for higher education and research by Nicolas Sarkozy in May 2007. In 2011, she became Minister for the budget and spokeswoman for the government. As of June 2012, she acts as Member of Parliament, member of the Finance Commission, leader of the opposition group at the Regional assembly of the Greater Paris area (region Ile-de-France) and secretary general of UMP, the main opposition party.