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Spanish economist and politician (1939–2014) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Miguel Boyer (5 February 1939 – 29 September 2014) was a Spanish economist and politician, who served as minister of economy, treasury and commerce from 1982 to 1985.
Miguel Boyer | |
---|---|
Minister of Economy, Treasury and Commerce | |
In office 1 December 1982 – 6 July 1985 | |
Prime Minister | Felipe González |
Preceded by | Jaime García Añoveros |
Succeeded by | Carlos Solchaga |
Personal details | |
Born | Miguel Boyer Salvador 5 February 1939 St. Jean de Luz, France |
Died | 29 September 2014 75) Madrid, Spain | (aged
Nationality | Spanish |
Political party | Socialist Party |
Spouse(s) |
|
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | Complutense University of Madrid |
Boyer was born in St. Jean de Luz, France, on 5 February 1939.[1] He was a graduate of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid where he studied economics.[2] He also received a degree in physics from the same university.[3]
Boyer worked at different banks and institutions.[4] He served as the director of planning for the Unión Explosivos Río Tinto and later as a senior economist at the Bank of Spain.[5][6] He became the deputy director of the national industrial institute and then its director in 1974.[1] Next he worked at the state-owned hydrocarbons institute.[5] He was one of the Ibercorp shareholders.[7]
Boyer joined the Socialist Party as part of its social democrat wing in 1960.[1][8] He helped Felipe González to form a faction in the party in the mid-1970s.[9] Boyer was a member of the Congress of Deputies, representing Jaén Province, and economic spokesperson of the party.[10] He and Carlos Solchaga were the architects of the party's economy policy.[4]
Boyer was appointed minister of economy, treasury and commerce to the first cabinet of Felipe González on 2 December 1982.[4][11] In 1985, he developed a tax act that enabled people to avoid tax on saving interest if they invested in insurance accounts.[12] During his term he was regarded as the most powerful member of the cabinet.[13][14] However, in a cabinet reshuffle in July 1985 Boyer was removed from office and was succeeded by Carlos Solchaga in the post.[13][15] It was speculated that Boyer was forced to resign due to his clash with Deputy Prime Minister Alfonso Guerra.[13][14] In addition, Boyer attempted to increase his power in the cabinet and demanded to assume the post of second vice prime minister, also leading to his forced resignation.[16]
Shortly after leaving office Boyer was named as the chief executive of the Banco Exterior de Espana and next of the investment company, Cartera Central.[17] In 1986, he was named as a member of the Abragam committee that oversaw the future structure of the CERN.[18][19] Until 1999 he served as a senior manager at the Spanish construction group FCC.[20] From July 1999 to January 2005, he was the chairman of CLH, a Spanish fuel distribution company.[20] In May 2010, Boyer was appointed board member to the Hispania Racing Team.[21] He also assumed the post of finance director and advisor to the team.[22] On 20 May 2010, he was also named as the independent member of the board of directors of Red Electrica Corporacion SA.[3] In addition, he served as the head of Urbis.[23]
In February 1992, Boyer and Mariano Rubio, former governor of the Bank of Spain, were accused of fraud and share-price manipulation in relation to the Ibercorp.[7][24] Boyer was not sentenced, but Rubio was sentenced to jail.[24]
In the 1970s, Boyer supported self-managing socialism.[25] However, later he became known for his orthodox, moderate and pragmatic approach to economy.[26] Despite being a member of the socialist government, he adopted neo-liberal views of economy when he was minister.[16] In addition, he and his successor Carlos Solchaga did not fit into the party's projected socialist mould.[27] They both implemented economic policies based the orthodox liberal ideas, and the social outcomes of these policies were largely neglected.[28] Their priority was to reduce inflation, using steps to control the money supply, which reinforced the high levels of interest and a strong currency.[27] Although Boyer's policy decreased the rate of inflation and government spending, Spain experienced the Europe's highest unemployment rate at about 20%.[29] Boyer also encouraged the economic integration of Spain into the European Union.[30]
Boyer divorced his first wife, gynecologist Elena Arnedo, to wed a socialite, Isabel Preysler, in 1987.[31] Boyer's first wife, Elena Arnedo, was the cousin of Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo.[5] Isabel Preysler was the former spouse of the singer Julio Iglesias and Carlos Falcó, 5th Marquess of Griñón.[32] They had a daughter, Ana Boyer.[31] Boyer had also a son and a daughter with his first wife.[33][34]
Boyer died of a pulmonary embolism after being admitted to the Ruber International Hospital in Madrid on 29 September 2014.[35][36] He was 75.[36]
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