Ólafur Ragnar GrÃmsson
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson is the fifth President of Iceland.
Biography
He was elected in the 2000 elections, re-elected for a third term in 2004, re-elected for a fourth term in 2008 and re-elected for a record fifth term in 2012. As part of the left-wing People’s Alliance, Ólafur was a Member of Althingi for Reykjavík from 1978 to 1983. During this time he was Chairman of the People’s Alliance parliamentary group from 1980 to 1983. Additionally, from 1983 to 1985 he was editor of the newspaper Þjóðviljinn. He served as the Minister of Finance from 1988 to 1991. Ólafur has identified the 2009 financial crisis, the need for a green energy revolution, and climate change as the three most pressing issues in today’s world. In relation to his efforts on these issues Ólafur has participated in the Global Creative Leadership Summit, organized by the Louise Blouin Foundation, in 2007 and 2008. He was also awarded the Louise Blouin Award for Creative and Cultural Achievement.
Education
From 1962 to 1970, he studied economics and political science at the University of Manchester; in 1970 he was the first person from Iceland to earn a PhD in political science. He became a lecturer in political science at the University of Iceland in 1970, then a Professor of Political Science at the same university in 1973. He was the University's first Professor of Political Science.
