The Executive Board The Executive Board, with the help of its administrative and support teams, develops the policy and organizational aspects of Gold Mercury International. It also manages day-to-day operations and maintains relationships with governments, corporations, and civil society organisations. The Board and its support teams also review and evaluate award nominations. Eduardo De Santis, Chairman & President; Nicolas De Santis, Secretary General; Anthony Bailey, Vice President; Philippe Cothier, Vice President; Kardam Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Prince of Tirnovo, Vice President; Juan Crespo, Vice President; Chechung Chang, Vice President; Rosendo Alvarez III, Vice President; Miguel Vergara, Vice President; Nevid Nikravan, Vice President; Pablo Vaggione, Vice President; Hyun Jee, Vice President. The International Advisory Board The International Advisory Board (IAB) supervises the governance and development of Gold Mercury International. The IAB offers a long term view and strategic direction on the broad range of issues of Gold Mercury and confers on matters of Gold Mercury policy. The Board also selects the final candidates for the Gold Mercury Awards in each category. Over the years the Gold Mercury International Advisory Board has included some of the most important people in government, business, academia and society, including: Soichiro Honda, President of Honda Motor Co; Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo, Former Prime Minister of Spain; Ramon Areces Rodriguez, President of El Corte Ingles; Lord William Rees-Mogg, Editor of The Times, London; Gunnar Engellau, President of AB Volvo; Masaru Ibuka, Founder and President of the Sony Corporation; Hans Suessenguth, Chairman of Lufthansa AG; The Hon Pietro Campilli, Former Finance and Treasury Minister of Italy; Cav Lavoro Angelo Rizzoli, Founder of Rizzoli Editrice; Luis Garcia Berlanga, Film Director and Academy Award Nominee; Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Former Secretary General of the United Nations; Uolevi Raade, Chairman of Neste Finland; and Alfonso Escamez, President of Banco Central.

Gold Mercury International Advisory Board Members include:

His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan His Royal Highness is the youngest son of King Talal bin Abdullah and Queen Zein El Sharaf, and the younger brother of His Late Majesty King Hussein. Prince Hassan graduated from Oxford University with a B.A. (Hon.) and M.A. in Oriental Studies and has also been awarded numerous honorary doctorates from notable institutions worldwide. Prince Hassan has founded and is actively involved in a number of Jordanian and international institutes and committees.

In Jordan, he established and now directs the Islamic Scientific Academy; the Tri-annual Conferences on the History and Archeology of Jordan; the Hashemite Aid and Relief Agency; the Center for Educational Development; the Institute for Diplomacy; and most recently, the new Al al-Bait University in Mafraq. At the 36th Session of the United Nations in 1981, His Royal Highness proposed the establishment of the New International Humanitarian Order, which led to his being asked by the UN Secretary-General to found and co-chair the Independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues (ICIHI). The final Report of the Commission was adopted as a resolution at the 42nd General Assembly. In July 2002, Prince Hassan founded the International Cultures Foundation with Professor Ihsan Dogramaci and The Parliament of Cultures was then formed in 2004 to fulfill the agenda of promoting understanding among different cultures and enhancing dialogue between their thinkers and intellectuals. In July 2003, HRH launched Partners in Humanity as a joint initiative with John Marks from Search for Common Ground (SFCG), which aims to improve understanding, build positive relationships and promote dialogue between the Muslim and western worlds. Decorated by over twenty nations, His Royal Highness is the holder of the Order of Al Hussein bin Ali, Jordan's highest decoration. He also held the rank of Honorary General in the Jordanian Armed Forces.

Federico Mayor Zaragoza, Former Director-General of UNESCO and Founder and President of the Foundation for a Culture of Peace Federico Mayor Zaragoza earned a doctorate in Pharmacy from the Complutense University of Madrid in 1958. In 1963, he became a Professor of Biochemistry in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Granada, where he later served as rector (1968-1972). In 1973, he was appointed professor in his specialty at the Complutense University of Madrid. He has held the following political posts, among others: Undersecretary of Education and Science

in the Spanish government (1974-1975), member of the Spanish Congress of Deputies (1977-1978), advisor to the Spanish Prime Minister (1977-1978), Minister of Education and Science (1981-82) and a member of the European Parliament (1987). In 1978, he became deputy director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). In 1987, he was elected director-general of UNESCO, a post he held until 1999 when he founded the Foundation for a Culture of Peace, of which he is now the President. During his 12 years as head of UNESCO (1987-1999) Zaragoza gave new life to the organization's mission, putting the institution at the service of peace, tolerance, human rights and peaceful coexistence, working within the scope of its powers and remaining faithful to its original goals. In 2005, the secretary-general of the United Nations named him co-chair of the High-Level Group for the Alliance of Civilizations, a post he held until November 2006 when the Group presented its final report in Istanbul. In addition to numerous scientific publications, he has published four collections of poems and several books of essays.

Kerry Kennedy, Founder of the Robert F Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights Kerry Kennedy is the seventh child of Robert F. Kennedy and a graduate of Brown University and Boston College Law School. Kerry Kennedy has worked as a human rights activist since 1981 and has led nearly three dozen human rights delegations to more than 20 countries around the world including El Salvador, Gaza, Haiti, Kenya, Northern Ireland and South Korea. She has also supported human rights-related causes in China, Indonesia, Vietnam, India,

Sudan, Pakistan and other countries. Kennedy was an election observer in Chile during the 1988 plebiscite which ousted former dictator Augusto Pinochet. In the same year, Kennedy founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights to ensure the protection of rights codified under the UN Declaration of Human Rights. The organization provides a base of support to human rights defenders. Kennedy also served until 1995 as Executive Director of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial, a non-profit organization which addresses problems of social justice in the spirit of Robert Kennedy.

H.E. Mr Juan Miguel Villar Mir President of Grupo Villar Mir Juan Miguel Villar Mir is President of Grupo Villar Mir. The Group has 26.736 employees worldwide and owns several international leading companies in different sectors including OHL one of the world’s most important construction and infrastructure groups, Ferro Atlantica a world leader in manufacturing silicon products and ferrous metals, Grupo Fertiberia, a leader in fertilisers and Grupo Villar Mir energia, the first Spanish independent producer of hydroelectric energy.

His career as a strategic leader comprises an amazing list of companies in the energy, resources and infrastructure sectors includingElectra de Viesgo, Altos Hornos de Vizcaya, Hidro-Nitro Española, Empresa Nacional de Celulosas, Empresa Nacional Carbonífera del Sur, Cementos del Cinca, Cementos Portland Aragón and Puerto Sotogrande.

Mr Villar Mir was Vice President of the Spanish Government for Economic Affairs and Minister of the Economy in the first transitional government of the Spanish Monarchy (1975 – 1976). Mr Villar Mir has received several accolades for his career including the Gold Mercury Award ‘Ad Personam’ for excellence in governance, the Great Cross of Civil Merit, and the Distinguished Order of Carlos III.

Joseph Zappala, Former US Ambassador to Spain Joseph Zappala served as the US Ambassador to Spain from 1989-1992. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Zappala was a Florida based businessman active in politics and civic affairs. His community service focused on the areas of adolescent drug abuse and mental health problems, among other activities. For 30 years, Joseph Zappala Associates has been an operator and investor in a variety of activities throughout the United States including banking interests, real estate and industrial companies. Ambassador Zappala played an active

role on behalf of the George Bush for President campaign and served as National Co-Chairman of Finance for the American Bicentennial Presidential Inaugural. On his departure from Spain, Ambassador Zappala received The Order of Isabel La Catolica Gran Cruz, the highest award ever given by the Kingdom of Spain to a US diplomat. A graduate of the New York Institute of Finance, Zappala resides in Florida and has resumed his business activities through his private investment firm.

Count Sabino Fernandez Campo, Former Chief of the Spanish Royal House Count Sabino Fernandez Campo served as Secretary General of the Spanish Royal House between 1977 and 1993, appointed by King Juan Carlos I. Prior to this appointment, Campo served as Assistant Secretary of the Presidency of the Government and Deputy Minister of Information and Tourism in Spain. In 1980, Campo was appointed Comptroller General of the Army and was granted the honorary title of Lieutenant General. Between 1990 and 1993 he served

as Chief of the Spanish Royal House. Campo holds a law degree from the University of Oviedo, a diploma in the Economics of War from the Industrial College of the United States and has taught at the Academy of Military Intervention. In addition, Campo has received academic honors from the Royal Academy of Medicine of Asturias and Leon, is an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain and is an academic of the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences and the Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation.

HE Manuel Fraga Iribarne, Spanish Senator and Former President of the Xunta de Galicia Manuel Fraga Iribarne is a Spanish politician from the northwest region of Galicia. Fraga's career as one of the key political figures in Spain straddles both General Franco's dictatorial regime and the subsequent democracy. Fraga was Spanish Minister of Information and Tourism between 1962-1969, Spanish Minister of the Interior between 1975-1976 and Deputy for the Madrid province within the Spanish Congress of Deputies between 1977-1989.

He was the President of Galicia from 1990 to 2005 and is currently a Senator in the upper house of the Spanish Parliament. Fraga is one of the few Honoris Causa Doctors of the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon.

Pedro Schwartz, Professor of Economics at the Universidad San Pablo - CEU Dr. Schwartz is Professor Extraordinary in the Department of Economics of the University San Pablo CEU in Madrid, where he teaches the History of Economic Thought and directs the Centre for Political Economy and Regulation. At the Madrid Campus of St. Louis University (Mo) he lectures on the History of Economic Thought, the History of Political Thought and the History and Theory of Central Banking. Since 2006 he has been a member of the Monetary

Experts Panel of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament. He is the author of numerous publications. His main business activity is as member of the Spanish Advisory Board of the Cap Gemini Consultancy. In September 1990, H.M. Queen Elisabeth II made Schwartz an Honorary Officer of the British Empire. In February 2003, he was elected to the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences of Spain, and in that same year was awarded the Rey Jaime I Prize for contributions to economics in Spain.

Enrique Barón Crespo, Former President of the European Parliament Enrique Barón Crespo graduated in law from the University of Madrid and studied further at ESSEC International Business School in Paris. As a practicing lawyer, Barón Crespo specialised in labour law and practiced as a human rights lawyer between 1970 and 1974. He is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and sits with the Party of European Socialists Group in the European Parliament. He was a Deputy in the Cortes (1977-1987),

representing Madrid region, and was Minister of Transport, Tourism and Communications (1982-1985). After election to the European Parliament he became President of the European Parliament (1989-1992) and was chairman of the Group of the Party of European Socialists in the European Parliament (1999-2004). He was Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (1992-1995) and is currently Chairman of the International Trade Committee of the European Parliament.

Aldo Olcese Santonja, Chairman of Fincorp Mediación Aldo Olcese Santonja holds a masters degree in Science in Economics and Business from the Complutense University of Madrid. He is a member of the Royal Academy of Economics and Finance and Guest Associate Professor in Applied Economics at the University Of Navarra. Santonja is Chairman of Spanish Merchant Bank Fincorp Mediación and a member of the Special Work Group for the reform of Corporate Governance, designated by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. He is also an Honorary Life Trustee of the Spanish

Financial Analysts Institute. Chairman in Spain of the Advisory Boards of Société Générale and T-Systems, he also serves on various boards such as AC Hoteles and Ericsson Spain. Santonja is the author of several books on Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility. In April 2007, he was distinguished by H.R.M. The King of Spain with the Civil Merit Cross in recognition of his special contribution to the Good Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Carlos Rodríguez Braun, Professor of History of Economic Thought at Complutense University, Madrid Carlos Rodríguez Braun is Professor of History of Economic Thought at the Complutense University, Madrid. As a writer and editor, he has published several economic studies, translated the work of prominent economists into Spanish and written some two thousand articles in the Spanish press. He is currently a columnist in Spain's leading economic newspaper, Expansion, and broadcasts on Spanish radio. Born in Buenos Aires, he is a member of the

American Economic Association and the Mont Pelerin Society. Mauricio Hatchwell Toledano, Founder and Chairman of Excem Group Maurice Hatchwell Toledano was born in Morocco. He is founder and Chairman of Excem Group and the moving force behind a number of cultural initiatives that include the International Jewish Committee Sepharad '92 and the Fundación Amigos de Sefarad of Spain. In 1992, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the expulsion of all Jews from Spain, Mr. Hatchwell published 500 copies of the Alba Bible, the medieval Spanish translation of the Tanakh prized for its contributions to biblical and Jewish cultural history, one of which was given to Juan Carlos I of Spain. In addition to other special acknowledgements Mr. Hatchwell received the "Jerusalem 3000" award in 1995, Commander of the Spanish National Merit in 1999 and the Prince of Asturias "Concord Prize" in 1990. Mr. Hatchwell is a very active member in cultural, academic, business and social circles in Spain, France, Israel, China and the U.S.A. holding numerous positions in Boards of Directors and Governorships in various academic institutions.

Mauricio Hatchwell Toledano, Founder and Chairman of Excem Group Maurice Hatchwell Toledano was born in Morocco. He is founder and Chairman of Excem Group and the moving force behind a number of cultural initiatives that include the International Jewish Committee Sepharad '92 and the Fundación Amigos de Sefarad of Spain. In 1992, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the expulsion of all Jews from Spain, Mr. Hatchwell published 500 copies of the Alba Bible, the medieval Spanish translation of the

Tanakh prized for its contributions to biblical and Jewish cultural history, one of which was given to Juan Carlos I of Spain. In addition to other special acknowledgements Mr. Hatchwell received the "Jerusalem 3000" award in 1995, Commander of the Spanish National Merit in 1999 and the Prince of Asturias "Concord Prize" in 1990. Mr. Hatchwell is a very active member in cultural, academic, business and social circles in Spain, France, Israel, China and the U.S.A. holding numerous positions in Boards of Directors and Governorships in various academic institutions.

Isabel Tocino, Former President of Siebel Spain and Former Spanish Minister of the Environment Isabel Tocino holds a doctorate in law, an MBA from the Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering in Barcelona, and was Professor in civil law at the University Complutense of Madrid (1972-1986). Her published works include 'Nuclear Energy and the Environment.' Tocino is former Minister for Environment of the Spanish Government, former Chairwoman of the European Affairs and of the Foreign Affairs Committees of Spanish Congress

and former President of Siebel Systems Spain. She is currently an elected member of the Spanish State Council, non-executive Director of Climate Change Capital, Vice-Chairwoman of the International Association of Women Lawyers and the Federal Congress of the European Movement and a member of the Royal Academy of Doctors.

Count Ludovico Incisa di Camerana, Former Italian Ambassador and Academic Count Ludovico Incisa di Camerana was Ambassador of Italy in Venezuela and Argentina and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the Dini government. He is best known today for his written work, primarily on the popularization of Latin American history. He has authored numerous publications and continues to write a foreign policy column in the newspaper La Nazione. Publications include, amongst others, 'State of War' (2001) which attempts to define a

typology of armed conflict in postmodern society, 'Pinnochio' (2004) which looks at national identity in Italy and 'The Children of Che: History of a Non-Revolution (2007)' which details the success of the figure of Che Guevara alongside the Latin American variants of Revolution.

Jacinto Garcia Palacios, Former CEO of Hispasat Mr. Palacios holds a Masters and First Class Degree with honours in Physics Engineering from Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, Canada. Palacios has more than 30 years of international business experience and has focused on the satellite communications and media industries during most of his career. He served as CEO of Hispasat between 1999 and 2005, during which time he oversaw Hispasat's significant growth and transformation. He is also a member of several organisations including the Institute of Electrical

and Electronics Engineers (USA) and The Order of Engineers of Québec. Palacios is Ex-Vice-President of the French Chambre of Commerce and Industry in Spain, Founding member and Ex-President of the Hispano-Canadian Association for Scientific and Technological Cooperation and Ex-President of the French-Spanish Association for Scientific and Technological Cooperation.

Miguel Herrero y Rodriguez de Miñon, Member of the Spanish Parliament and one of the fathers of the Spanish Constitution Miguel Herrero y Rodriguez de Mi–on is a Spanish politician and lawyer, one of the seven fathers of the 1978 Spanish constitution. He graduated in philosophy in 1968. As Technical General Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, De Miñon worked very actively on the electoral legislation of the first newborn democracy. He served as spokesman of the Congress of Deputies, both for the governing

party (UCD) and the opposition (AP). His long career includes the posts of Director of Banco Exterior de España, Vice President of the Legal Committee of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe (1979-1982) and Vice President of the Political Commission of the North Atlantic Assembly. De Mi–on has been a member of the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences since 1991. As a scholar of constitutional law and international relations, he has published numerous works, works assiduously in the press and radio, and also performs as a lawyer and consultant.

Bernardo Cremades, President of the Spanish Board of Arbitration Bernardo M. Cremades is the leading Spanish international arbitration practitioner. Cremades holds a Law Degree from the Universidad de Sevilla (1965) and a doctorate from the Universität Köln (Ph.D. 1967). Former positions held include Spanish Representative at the Council of the International Bar Association, Co-Chairman of the Board of Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution, International Bar Association, President of the

Spanish Court of Arbitration, Former Co-Chairman of the International Financial and Secured Transactions Committee of the American Bar Association, International Council for Commercial Arbitration, International Chamber of Commerce Institute of World Business Law, Ex-Representative of the Spanish Federation of Bar Associations (1981-2000), former Vice President of the London Court of Arbitration and President of the Global Center for Dispute Resolution. His international recognitions include Germany's distinguished Verdienskreutz award and the French distinction of Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite. Cremades is author of numerous publications in Spanish, English and French.

Enrique Ruiz García, Writer and Professor of Political & Social Science at Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) Enrique Ruiz García (Juan María Alponte as an author) is Professor of Political and Social Science at Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) teaching Political Science, economic philosophy, theory of the state and international relations. He has written extensively on the geopolitics of central and Latin America. For the last 25 years he has written for the following

newspapers: -Excélsior, -El Día, -Uno más Uno, -El Nacional and La Jornada. He is also a regular contributor to international publications and magazines. He has been awarded the Premio Mundo Hisp‡nico, Las Palmas de Oro of Mexican Television for his contribution to culture with the programme 'The World we Live In.' He is a political and cultural commentator for Radio IMER. Within UNESCO he was member of the first Latin American and European Commission to establish the first Program for Latin American Education. He also collaborates with global economic and energy institutions. As a journalist he was incarcerated and expulsed from Spain in 1962 by the Franco regime for writing about freedom and supporting open democratic views.

HE Dr Mohamed Sahbi Basly, Ambassador of Tunisia to the People's Republic of China Dr. Mohamed Sahbi Basly has a doctorate in medicine, and is specialised in public health and the environment, having completed postgraduate studies in occupational health and safety from Canada and from the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Dr Mohamed was a lecturer at the Tunis faculty of medicine and the Institute of Labor and Social Affairs. He is fluent in Arabic, French and English and is now said to be learning Chinese in his role as Ambassador of

Tunisia to the People's Republic of China.

Alfonso Martinez de Irujo, Duke of Aliaga and Managing Director of Executive Education at the Instituto de Empresa Business School in Spain. Alfonso Martinez de Irujo, Duke of Aliaga, was born in Madrid, Spain. He is the son of Pedro Luis Martinez de Irujo and Maria del Rosari Cayetana FitzJames-Stuart, 18th Duquesa de Alba de Tormes. Alfonso Martize de Irujo studied Economic Sciences and is President of Executive Education at IE Business School, Spain. IE is an international institution dedicated to educating business

leaders through programs based on core values of global focus, entrepreneurial spirit and humanistic approach.

Dr Giovanni Scapagnini, MD, PHD, Assistant Professor, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Italian National Research Council Dr. Scapagnini attended the University of Catania School of Medicine and Surgery in Catania, Italy and graduated in 1992 with a medical degree. He continued his education by obtaining a Ph.D. in Neurobiology also from the University of Catania in 2000. Dr. Scapagnini currently holds two academic positions as Assistant Professor with the Institute of Neurological Sciences, Italian National Research Council and with Blanchette Rockefeller

Neurosciences Institute, West Virginia University. He has recently obtained a visiting professorship with the Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland, where he is in charge of a research project on dementia. He is also the scientific director of the Research & Progress Foundation.

Staff and Support Teams

Gold Mercury's staff and support teams further the vision and mission of the organisation across a number of functions: research, editorial, events, consultancy, communications and publications, design, finance and administrative. In addition to a permanent body of staff, remote researchers, writers and experts from around the world contribute insightful and valuable knowledge to further the goals of the organisation.