João de Deus Pinheiro

João de Deus Pinheiro
GCC GCIH
Member of the European Parliament
In office
20 July 2004  13 July 2009
European Commissioner for Relations with African, Caribbean, Pacific Countries, South Africa and the Lomé Convention
In office
23 January 1995  16 September 1999
President Jacques Santer
Manuel Marín
European Commissioner for Relations with Parliament, Culture and Audiovisual
In office
1993  23 January 1995
President Jacques Delors
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
17 August 1987  12 November 1992
President Mário Soares
Prime Minister Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Preceded by Pedro Pires de Miranda
Succeeded by José Manuel Barroso
Minister of Education and Culture
In office
6 November 1985  17 August 1987
President António Ramalho Eanes
Mário Soares
Prime Minister Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Preceded by Himself (as Minister of Education)
António Coimbra Martins (as Minister of Culture)
Succeeded by Roberto Carneiro
Minister of Education
In office
16 February 1985  6 November 1985
President António Ramalho Eanes
Prime Minister Mário Soares
Preceded by José Augusto Seabra
Succeeded by Himself (as Minister of Education and Culture)
Personal details
Born João de Deus Rogado Salvador Pinheiro
11 July 1945
Lisbon, Portugal
Political party National:
Social Democratic Party
European:
European People's Party
Spouse(s) Maria Manuela Vieira Paisana
Children 3 sons, 1 daughter
Alma mater Instituto Superior Técnico
University of Birmingham
Occupation Politician
writer
Profession Chemical engineer
professor

João de Deus Rogado Salvador Pinheiro, GCC GCIH, born 11 July 1945 in Lisbon, is a semi-retired Portuguese politician and former Member of the European Parliament[1] for the Social Democratic Party–People's Party coalition; part of the European People's Party–European Democrats group.

Academic career

João de Deus Pinheiro has a licentiate degree in chemical-industrial engineering by the Instituto Superior Técnico (1970) and a doctorate degree in the same field by the University of Birmingham (1976). Professor at the University of Lourenço Marques (Mozambique) from 1970 to 1974, and in the University of Minho after the Carnation Revolution and his return to Portugal.

Political career

He was Minister for Education 1985–1987, Minister for Foreign Affairs 1987–1992; in that role he was one of the EU negotiators in Brioni Agreement that ended ten-day war in Slovenia in 1991; Member of the European Parliament and European Commissioner.

Life after politics

João de Deus Pinheiro was elected member of the Assembly of the Republic in 2009 elections for Braga District, but resigned shortly after for health reasons.

After leaving the European Parliament, he has been member of the board of several companies.

He his also known as a writer and amateur golfer.

Nicknamed John of God Pinetree' (the English literal translation of his name) after a speech unnecessarily given in English.

References