Emilio Rui Vilar was born in Oporto in1939. He graduated in law from Coimbra University in 1961 and has been President of the Board of Trustees of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation since May 2002. He is also President of the Portuguese Foundation Centre and Chairman of the European Foundation Centre. Since 1996, he has served as Chairman of the Audit Commission of the Bank of Portugal. He served as Secretary of State for External Trade and Tourism (1974), Minister of the Economy (1974-75) and Minister of Transport and Communications (1976-78). In addition, he has served as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Portugal (1975-84); Director General of the European Community Commission (1986-89); General Commissioner of Europalia Portugal (1989- 92); Chairman and CEO, Caixa Geral de Depositos (National Savings Bank) (1989-95).