Mario Monti is an Italian economist who served as the Prime Minister of Italy from 2011 to 2013, leading a government of technocrats in the wake of the Italian debt crisis.
Background
Ethnicity:
His mother was from Piacenza. Although his father grew up in Varese, he was born in Luján in the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, where his ancestors had emigrated to in the 19th century and built up a soft-drink and beer-production business. Monti's father went back to Argentina during World War II, but later returned to his family home in Varese.
Monti was born in Varese on 19 March 1943.
Monti is married to his wife Elsa and has two sons.
Career
Mario Monti has been the 54th Prime Minister of Italy since November 2011.
Initially, Monti was also Minister of Economy and Finance.
Monti served as a European Commissioner from 1995 to 2004, with responsibility for the Internal Market, Services, Customs and Taxation from 1995 to 1999 and for Competition from 1999 to 2004.
Monti has also been Rector and President of Bocconi University in Milan.
Monti was sworn in as Prime Minister on 16 November 2011, just a week after having been appointed a Senator for Life.