Germán Rojas Irigoyen, a banker and former finance minister in his country, on Jan. 28, 2016, presented his credentials as Paraguay’s ambassador to the United States. It’s the first such post for Rojas.

Rojas attended primary and secondary school at Colegio Goethe in Asunción, Paraguay’s capital. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from the University of Asunción and followed that up with studies on the economics of developing countries at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg.

Rojas joined Paraguay’s central bank and began working his way up. After many years there, Rojas became financial manager of the Bank of Parana and then director of project management for the United Nations Development Program.

In 2003, Rojas was made President of Paraguay’s national development bank. His tenure there was very successful; he cut the delinquency rate on the bank’s loans from 57% to 7%, likely saving the bank from ruin.

He was rewarded in 2007 with the presidency of Paraguay’s central bank, but was ousted the following year upon the inauguration of a new president of the country. He then left public service for a term as vice president of Sudameris Bank and to serve as advisor to the CEO of the Abbeyfield Group (Irish Investment Group).

With the 2013 election of Horacio Cartes as Paraguay’s president, Rojas was made Minister of Finance. His tenure there was seen as successful, with Rojas being named Finance Minister of the Year in 2014 for his stewardship of the country’s finances. He was also made chairman of the boards of governors of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

Rojas left the ministry in early 2015, saying it was for personal reasons, but more likely because of differences with Cartes over tax reforms.

Rojas is married and has two daughters and one son. He speaks English, German, Portuguese, Spanish and the Paraguayan indigenous language of Guarani.

-Steve Straehley

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