Moisés Naím

Moisés Naím
Naím speaking about Latin America at the World Economic Forum in 2009
Venezuelan Minister for Development
In office
1989–1990
President Carlos Andrés Pérez
Succeeded by Imelda Cisneros
Personal details
Born July 5, 1952
Nationality Venezuelan
Profession Journalist

Moisés Naím (born July 5, 1952)[1] is a Distinguished Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an internationally syndicated columnist whose writings are published by leading papers worldwide, and the author of more than 10 books. In 2013, the British magazine Prospect listed Naim as one of the world's leading thinkers.[2] In 2014, Dr. Naím was ranked among the top 100 influential global thought leaders by GDI Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute for work in his latest book, The End of Power.

Naim served as the editor in chief of Foreign Policy magazine for 14 years (1996-2010). Since 2011, he has directed and hosted Efecto Naim, a weekly television program on international affairs that airs throughout the Americas on NTN24. In 2010, he received the Ortega y Gasset Prize for his important contribution to journalism in the Spanish language.

He is the former Minister of Trade and Industry for Venezuela and Director of its Central Bank and Executive Director of the World Bank.

Education

Moisés Naím studied at the Universidad Metropolitana in Caracas. Following his undergraduate studies, he attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he obtained both a master’s of science and doctorate degrees.

Public Service

Naím was a professor of business strategy and industrial economics at Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administración (IESA), Venezuela’s leading business school and research center located in Caracas. He also served as its dean between 1979 and 1988.

From 1989 to 1990, Naím served as Venezuela’s Minister of Trade and Industry, where he played a role in launching major economic reforms. He wrote about this experience in his 1993 book Paper Tigers and Minotaurs and spoke about it in an interview [3] with journalist Mirtha Rivero.

Journalism career

Moises Naím is the chief international columnist for El Pais, the most widely read newspaper in Spain. His column, "The Global Observer", is also published in Italy (La Repubblica), France (Slate.fr) and in the major newspapers of Latin America. He is also a regular contributor to the Financial Times “A List" and is a contributing editor to The Atlantic.

Among other publications, Naím's work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek, TIME, Le Monde, Berliner Zeitung and many more, making him one of today's most widely read columnists on international economics and geopolitics.

In 1996, Naím became the editor in chief of Foreign Policy magazine. Under his guidance, the magazine re-launched and won the National Magazine Awards for General Excellence three times. During this period, it transformed from an academic quarterly to a bimonthly glossy.

During his tenure, he spearheaded the change in format by introducing powerful photography and art, increased frequency of publication, launched editions in other languages and the website ForeignPolicy.com.[4]

In 2008, Naim successfully completed the sale of the magazine to the Washington Post group, though he remained editor-in-chief until 2010.

Published books

Naím is the author or editor of more than ten books on topics related to geopolitics, international economics and economic development.

In 2005, his book Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers, and Copycats are Hijacking the Global Economy was selected by the Washington Post as one of the best non-fiction books of the year; it was published in 14 languages and is the basis of an Emmy Award-winning documentary produced by National Geographic Film and Television in 2010.

Naím's most recent book is The End of Power: From Boardrooms to Battlefields and Churches to States, Why Being in Charge Isn't What It Used To Be (2013), and in it he argues that power has become "easier to get, harder to use, and easier to lose" due to the demographic explosion, increase in geographic mobility, and a shift in cultural norms. Both the Financial Times and the Washington Post named it one of the best books of 2013.[5] Bill Clinton said that The End of Power "will change the way you read the news, the way you think about politics, and the way you look at the world." George Soros said this "extraordinary new book will be of great interest to all those in leadership positions - business executives, politicians, military officers, social activists and even religious leaders. [It] will spark intense and important debate worldwide." Fernando Henrique Cardoso commented: "In my own experience as president of Brazil I observed first hand many of the trends that Naim identifies in this book, but he describes them in a way that is as original as it is delightful to read. All those who have power - or want it - should read this book." The End of Power has been translated into more than ten languages, including Italian, Arabic, Chinese and Portuguese. It has also been widely reviewed in newspapers and magazines including the Washington Post,[6] The Economist,[7] Reason Magazine,[8] El País[9] and Exame.

On January 2, 2015, The End of Power was selected by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg as the inaugural book for the Mark Zuckerberg book club, a public resolution to read one new book every two weeks in 2015.[10]

Efecto Naim

Efecto Naim is a weekly television show that offers a unique vision of the changing world. As director and host, Naim presents brief reports on global tendencies and interviews influential political, scientific and cultural leaders. Efecto Naim airs throughout Latin America every Sunday via DirecTV (NTN24).

Affiliations

Naím is the founder and chairman of the Group of Fifty, and a member of the board of directors of the National Endowment for Democracy, Population Action International, and the Open Society Foundations. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Atlantic Council, the Inter-American Dialogue and the World Economic Forum.

Awards and recognition

In 2014, the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute ranked Naím among the top 100 most influential global thought leaders for his work in The End of Power.

In 2013, Naím was recognized as one of the world’s leading thinkers by the British magazine Prospect.[11]

In 2013, Naím received an honoris causa doctorate from American University.

In 2011, Naím was awarded the Ortega and Gasset Journalism Award, the most prestigious award for journalism in the Spanish language for lifetime achievement/career trajectory.[12]

Under his guidance as editor of the magazine for fourteen years (1996-2010), Foreign Policy won the National Magazine Award for General Excellence three times.

In 2003, the Republic of Argentina honored Naím with the Order of May with the grade of Commander, one of the highest decorations the country presents for foreigners.

In 1991, Francesco Cossiga, the President of Italy honored Naim with the National Order of Merit, with the grade "Commendatore."

In 1990, François Mitterrand, the President of France honored Naím with the National Order of Merit with the grade of Grand Officer (29 June 1991).

In 1985, Moisés Naím was honored with the Order of Andres Bello from the Republic of Venezuela.

Publications

Books

Selected articles

References

External links