Arni Mathiesen - Assistant Director-General of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of FAO

Arni Mathiesen - Assistant Director-General of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of FAO

Mr Árni M. Mathiesen, a national of Iceland and coming from a fishing family, was appointed as Assistant Director-General (ADG) of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of FAO, effective 28 October 2010.

Mr Mathiesen graduated from Flensborgarskóli in Hafnarfjörður and obtained a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery degree from the University of Edinburgh, U.K., qualifying as a veterinarian in 1983. He was awarded a Master of Science in Aquatic Veterinary Pathology from the Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, U.K. in 1985. After completing his studies, he worked as a veterinarian, specializing in fish diseases from 1985 to 1995.

From 1999 to 2005, he served as Minister of Fisheries; the agency responsible for fisheries policy, quota allocation, surveillance and enforcement, processing, research and development, marine aquaculture, marine food safety and management of international agreements.

From September 2005 to February 2009, Mr Mathiesen served as Minister of Finance; the agency responsible for state budget, tax policy, revenue collection and forecasts, economic forecasts, pensions, government property and wage settlements in the public sector.