Andrew McDowell | |
|---|---|
| Vice President of the European Investment Bank | |
| In office 1 September 2016 –1 September 2020 | |
| President | Werner Hoyer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 1971 (age 54) |
| Political party | Fine Gael |
| Education | University College Dublin (BComm,MSc,MBA) |
Andrew McDowell (born January 1971) is an Irish economist and government official. He was economic advisor to Taoiseach Enda Kenny from 2011,until he became a vice-president of the European Investment Bank between 2016 and 2020.
McDowell was born in 1971. [1] He attended St Conleth's College. [2] He studied at University College Dublin,receiving a BComm,MSc and MBA. [3] He completed a post-graduate fellowship in economics and European studies at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University. [4]
He began his career as an accountant. [3] McDowell then worked as European deputy editor of the Economist Intelligence Unit and was later chief economist at Forfás. [4]
He began working for Fine Gael as an economic advisor in 2007. [3] [5] He became the party's head of research in 2009. [6] He was the author of many of the party's economic policies,including the proposal to establish Irish Water. [7]
He was a participant in negotiations between Fine Gael and the Labour Party which led to both parties going into government together. [8] Following the formation of the government,he was appointed as one of Enda Kenny's two main advisors,his chief economic advisor. [9] His salary was criticised by the Leader of the Opposition,Micheál Martin. [10]
He was a member of the Economic Management Council,a cabinet sub-committee which took decisions related to the Irish economic crisis. [11] Midway through the coalition,he was the lead negotiator with the Labour Party on policy priorities. [12]
He was credited with creating the slogan "keep the recovery going" used by Fine Gael in the 2016 Irish general election. [1] [13] He was again involved in Fine Gael negotiations following the election. He negotiated with Fianna Fáil to establish a confidence and supply agreement which led to Fine Gael returning to government. [14]
Ireland was allocated one of eight vice president positions at the European Investment Bank in 2016. [15] The Irish government undertook a public competition and put forward McDowell as its nominee. [4] He took up his position on 1 September 2016. [15]
His role encompassed oversight of the bank's treasury,economics and evaluation functions and institutional relations in some European and Asian countries. He oversaw lending operations and policy in the energy sector. [16]
McDowell was considered for the role of Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland in 2019. [17]
His four-year term came to an end on 1 September 2020. He was succeeded by Christian Kettel Thomsen. [18]
McDowell was one of two people,along with Mairead McGuinness,nominated by the Irish government on 4 September 2020 to replace Phil Hogan on the European Commission. [19] Ursula von der Leyen interviewed McDowell and McGuinness, [20] before selecting McGuinness for her College of Commissioners on 8 September 2020. [21]
McDowell is married with children. His second cousin is the former Tánaiste Michael McDowell. [1]