Xavier Sala i Martín and Magda Oranich, until now president of the Economic Commission and Members Representative respectively, have been appointed to the Board of Directors at a meeting on Thursday.
At the proposal of the president, and in line with article 30 of the Club Statutes,
Xavier Sala i Martín and Magda Oranich have been added to the Board with responsibilities in the
economic area and the institutional/legal area respectively. The appointments are conditional on
the ratification by the next General Assembly.
XAVIER SALA I MARTÍN
Born in 1962 in Cabrera de Mar near Barcelona, Xavier Sala i Martín is Professor of Economics
at Columbia University in the USA and visiting lecturer at the Pompeu Fabra University in
Catalonia.
He graduated in economics from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (in 1985) and took a PhD
in economics at Harvard University in 1990. In addition to his work at Columbia University he has
also lectured at Yale, Harvard, and Pompeu Fabra universities.
He is well known for his many articles and books on economics and has been ranked at
number 8 in the one thousand most quoted economists in the world. His has written on subjects such
as economic growth, monetary economics, social security, health economics, and economic development
(especially in Africa). He has been one of the promoters of the idea that inequalities and poverty
in the world have decreased in recent years thanks to the growth of the majority of Asian
countries. He has also been a consultant to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. He
is a councillor at the Davos World Economic Forum and the author of Global Competitiveness Index
published by the same body. Among his most important works are ‘Economic Growth', together
with Robert Barro, ‘Economía liberal para no economistas y no liberales' and ‘Apuntes
de crecimiento económico'.
In addition he is a founding patron of the Umbele Foundation. A Future for Africa, a NGO
supporting development in Africa.
He is member number 86,575 of FC Barcelona. Since 20th August 2004 he has been president of
the Club’s Economic Commission. He also presided over the Management Commission in the summer
of 2006.
MAGDA ORANICH I SOLAGRAN
Born in Barcelona en 1945, Magda Oranich is a lawyer and journalist.
Magda Oranich graduated in law and has practised as a lawyer as well as teaching at various
universities both in Catalonia and the rest of Spain. During the dictatorship of General Franco she
defended many political prisoners. She has also been a member of the Human Rights Commission of the
Barcelona College of Lawyers.
She has written a number of books on women’s rights. Together with Lluís Duran
she wrote a book dedicated to former president Josep Sunyol, ‘Sunyol i el Barça del seu
temps’. In 2005 she published ‘Ganes de viure. La meva lluita contra el càncer’
(A desire to live. My fight against cancer).
Magda Oranich is also a patron of various NGOs, secretary of the United Nations High
Commission for Refugees in Catalonia, vice-president of the Trias Fargas Foundation and member of
the Advisory Council for Democratic Memorial of the Generalitat de Catalunya. She is also a regular
contributor to some of the most prestigious discussion programmes on both radio and television. She
has been a Barcelona City Hall councillor and deputy to the Catalan parliament.
She is member number 23,676 of FC Barcelona. As a Club member she played an important role in
the Club Statutes Reform Commission in 2000/2001. She has been the Members’ Representative
since 28th July 2008.
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Further appointments
At the same Board meeting, Carles Murillo was appointed president of the Economic Commission,
Agustí Bassols, Members’ representative and Jordi Ordeix, new member of the Economic
Commission.
CARLES MURILLO I FORT
Born in Barcelona in 1947, Carles Murillo is Professor of Applied Economics at Pompeu Fabra
University. He has a PhD in Economic and Business Sciences from the University of Barcelona. At
Pompeu Fabra University he has been vice rector for international relations and continuing
education, head of the Masters programme in Sports Management, director of the Observatory for
Relations with Latin America and is an expert in the areas of international trade and company
competitiveness. He has written a number of articles on sports management and is co-author of the
book "El Nou Barça".
He is member number 5,852 of FC Barcelona. He has been on the statutory commission of FC
Barcelona since August 2003 and secretary since August 2006. He was also vice-president of the
Management Commission in the summer of 2006.
AGUSTÍ BASSOLS I PASCUAL
Born in Barcelona in 1960, Agustí Bassols graduated in law from the University of Barcelona
and is a partner director of BASSOLS Advocats, deputy nº 8 of the Governing Board of the Barcelona
College of Lawyers (1986-1989), on the board of the Mutua de Previsión Social de los Abogados de
Catalunya in representation of the College of Lawyers (1988 and 1989-1994), on the advisory council
of the journal ‘Mundo Jurídico', published by the Barcelona College of Lawyers (2005-09) and
member of the European Court of Arbitration.
Member number 12,366 of FC Barcelona. He was on the Club’s Disciplinary Commission
(2003) and then secretary (2004-2009). He was also secretary to the Management Commission in July
and August 2006 and secretary to the Electoral Board for the election process that began in July
2006.