Georges Theunis

Georges (George) Emile Léonard Theunis (28 February 1873 – 4 January 1966) was the prime minister of Belgium from 1921 to 1925 and again from 1934 to 1935. He was governor of the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) in exile in London, from 1941 until 1944. He was also the minister of Finance from 1920 to 1925.

Life

Theunis received military training and was also trained as an engineer. Georges Theunis started his career in the Empain group, where he was an administrator and later the president of the board of ACEC. During World War I, he headed the Belgian Wartime Provisions Commission in London. After the war he was involved in the Paris Peace Conference, in 1919 and served as the Belgian delegate to the Reparations Commission. In May 1927 he chaired the World Economic Conference in Geneva.

In 1926 Theunis joined the newly formed council of Regency of the National Bank, together with Emile Francqui, and remained a member until the war, except for two breaks during his ministerial duties. As regents of the NBB, both Theunis and Francqui represented the power which the large private banks had gained since 1926. During World War II he served as a special ambassador to the United States of America. In 1941, he was appointed governor of the National Bank of Belgium by the Pierlot government in exile at London instead of Albert Goffin who had been appointed by Secretary General Charles Plisnier. On his return to Belgium after the war, he resigned as governor of the NBB.

Honours Minister of State, by Royal Decree. Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold Grand Cross of the Order of the White Lion knight Grand Cross Legion of Honour Order of Saint Michael and Saint George Grand Cross in the Order of Saint Gregory the Great, 1932.