George Papandreou, Former Prime Minister of Greece
As Prime Minister of Greece from 2009 to 2011, George A. Papandreou understands leading in turbulent times. A public servant for many years, he served, among other posts, as Minister for National Education and Religious Affairs and as Minister of Foreign Affairs before following in his father and grandfather's footsteps to become Greece's Prime Minister. His election to office after the devastation of the global financial crisis of 2007-2008 came with a mandate to increase transparency and reduce corruption in Greece's government while humanizing globalization and its economic effects on Greek citizens. Challenged by time and global financial markets, he made the difficult decision to implement austerity programs and cuts that appeased the Eurozone and the pressures of the global economy. For his work in 2010 of "making the best of Greece's worst year," Foreign Policy Magazine named him a Top 100 Global Thinker.
