José Manuel Soria López
José Manuel Soria López (born 1958) is a Spanish politician who has been serving as the Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism since 2011.
Political career
Soria was a market analyst for Venezuela and the Caribbean at the Spanish Embassy in Venezuela from 1980 to 1981. He then served as the head of the imports service at the ministry of trade in 1984. He was lecturer in macro economics and international economics at the Centre for Trade Studies in Madrid from 1984 to 1989. He also served as the head of foreign trade at the ministry of trade in 1985, advisor to the minister of finance from 1986 to 1987 and chief of staff of the general secretariat of commerce from 1988 to 1989.
He was the mayor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria from 1995 to 2003. He then served as the president of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria from June 2003 to July 2007. He became a member of the regional parliament in June 2003, a position he still holds. He is the president of the Popular Party of the Canary Islands, a position to which he was elected in October 1999. He also headed the party's group at the Canary Islands parliament. He served at the Canary Islands government as vice-president and treasury minister from July 2007 to October 2010. He was a member of the congress of deputies for Las Palmas in the 10th Legislature. He was appointed minister of industry, energy and tourism to the cabinet led by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on 22 December 2011.
Education
He holds a graduate degree in economics and business studies.
