Education
Camille Gutt attended high school at the Royal Athenaeum in Ixelles. Gutt obtained a Ph.D. in legal studies, and a master's degree in political and social sciences at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB).
Camille Gutt attended high school at the Royal Athenaeum in Ixelles. Gutt obtained a Ph.D. in legal studies, and a master's degree in political and social sciences at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB).
Camille Gutt worked in various industries, such as in the Société Générale de Belgique and Groupe Empain as well as politics. During World War I, Gutt worked for Georges Theunis and again from 1920 until 1924 as his Chief of Cabinet. Later, Gutt also worked for the cabinet of Emile Francqui. Camille Gutt was Minister of Finance of Belgium in 1934-1935 and 1939-1940, Minister of Finance, Defence, Economics and Traffic in 1940-1942, Minister of Finance and economics in 1942-1943, and Minister of Finance in 1943-1944.
Gutt was responsible for saving the Belgian franc before and after World War II. Before the war, he saved the Belgian currency by secretly transferring the gold reserves of the Belgian National Bank out of Nazi reach. After the war, he stabilized the Belgian franc and forestalled inflation, with what still is known as the Gutt operation. Camille Gutt also played a major role in forging the Benelux, and by this contributed to the formation of the European Union.