Ana Palacio Vallelersundi

Who Is Ana Palacio?

Ana Palacio, a specialist in international and European law and founder of the law firm Palacio y Asociados, is a regular speaker who focuses on the internationalization of businesses and the European internal market. She has held numerous high-profile public positions. In the European Union, she chaired the former Legal Affairs and Internal Market Committee, as well as the Committee on Citizens’ Freedoms and Rights. She was a member of the Presidium of the Convention on the Future of Europe, where she participated in the drafting of the European Constitution, and served as Coordinator of the Trans-European Transport Network. At the national level, she was Spain’s first female Minister of Foreign Affairs, an elected member of the Council of State for 12 years, and President of the Joint Committee of Congress and Senate for the European Union as a Deputy.

Her multilateral vocation led her to serve as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the World Bank Group, as well as Secretary General of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

In addition to her extensive public career, she has worked—and continues to work—primarily in the energy sector. Currently, she serves on the Boards of Directors of energy companies, including Spain’s Enagás and Ecoener and Canada’s Emissions Reduction Corp. She is also a member of the International Advisory Board of OCP Group. At the intergovernmental level, she sits on the Industry Advisory Committee of the International Energy Forum and the External Advisory Committee of the Energy Futures Initiative.

What is her Background?

Ana Palacio has had a distinguished career in both the public and private sectors. She was the first woman to hold the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, leading the country’s diplomacy during critical moments in recent history. At the European level, she chaired significant committees in the European Parliament, including the Committee on Citizens’ Freedoms and Rights and the Legal Affairs and Internal Market Committee. She also served on the Presidium of the Convention on the Future of Europe, playing a key role in shaping the European Constitution.

Internationally, she has held high-ranking positions such as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the World Bank Group and Secretary General of ICSID. Her experience in the energy sector includes roles on the Boards of Directors of leading companies like Enagás, Ecoener, and AREVA. In academia and analysis, Palacio is a visiting professor at Georgetown University and a notable voice in international media, contributing to publications such as Project Syndicate and El Mundo.