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Anders Fogh Rasmussen took office as the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization’s 12th Secretary General on 1 August 2009. 

Anders Fogh Rasmussen was born in Ginnerup, Jutland, on 26 January 1953.
After passing the baccalaureate at Viborg Katedralskole in 1972, he
studied economics at the University of Aarhus, graduating (MSc Econ) in
1978. The same year he became member of the Danish Parliament
representing the Liberal Party. 

Mr. Rasmussen held numerous positions in government and opposition
throughout his political career. From 1987 to 1992 he was Minister for
Taxation and from 1990 to 1992 also Minister for Economic Affairs in the
Conservative-Liberal coalition Government. As Minister for Economic
Affairs and member of the EU’s ECOFIN-council 1990-92, Mr. Rasmussen
was the Danish negotiator of and signatory to the Maastricht Treaty
which eventually led to the introduction of the single currency, the
euro.

From 1992 to 1998 he was spokesman for the Liberal Party and from 1993
to 1998 in addition vice-chairman of the Parliament’s Economic and
Political Affairs Committee. In 1998 he became chairman of the Liberal
Party’s national organisation and vice-chairman of the Parliament’s
Foreign Policy Board.

After the parliamentary elections in 2001 he formed his first
government, a coalition consisting of the Liberal Party and the
Conservative People’s Party. His government was re-elected in 2005 and
2007 respectively, and he held the position as Prime Minister until he
was elected as future NATO Secretary General at the Strasbourg-Kehl
Summit in April 2009. 

During the Danish Presidency of the European Union from July to December
2002 Mr. Rasmussen played a key role in the process leading to
conclusion of the accession negotiations with 10 candidates for
EU-membership at the meeting of the European Council in Copenhagen in
December 2002. 

Mr. Rasmussen is married to Anne-Mette Rasmussen. They have three
children. In his spare time, he is a passionate runner, and he also
enjoys cycling and kayaking. 

Political career:

1974 - 1976 	National Chairman of the Liberal Youth of Denmark 

1978 - 2009 	Member of the Folketing – the Parliament 

1981 - 1986 	Vice-chairman of the Folketing’s Housing Committee 

1984 - 1987 	Member of the Management Committee of the Parliamentary
Liberal Party 

1985 - 1998 	Vice-chairman of the Liberal Party’s national
organisation 

1987 - 1992 	Minister for Taxation 

1990 - 1992 	Minister for Economic Affairs 

1992 - 2001	Member of the Management Committee of the Parliamentary
Liberal Party 

1992 - 1998 	Spokesman for the Liberal Party 

1993 - 1998 	Vice-chairman of the Folketing’s Economic and Political
Affairs Committee 

1998 - 2009 	Chairman of the Liberal Party’s national organisation 

1998 - 2001 	Chairman of the Parliamentary Liberal Party 

1998 - 2001 	Vice-chairman of the Folketing’s Foreign Policy Board 

2001 - 2009 	Prime Minister of Denmark 

2009 - 	Secretary General of NATO