Josu Jon Imaz

Josu Jon Imaz San Miguel (born Zumarraga, Gipuzkoa, 6 September 1963) is a politician and chemist in the Basque Country autonomous community, Spain. He was president of the Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ-PNV), until he left his position because of his political differences with the Basque region governor, Juan Jose Ibarretxe.

Imaz gained a doctorate in Chemistry from the University of the Basque Country and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from the Science Faculty in Donostia. In December 1986 he was seconded by the INASMET technology centre to the French centre CETIM in Nantes under a grant from the Ministry of Industry and Energy as part of its programme for training researchers abroad.He was head of the Composites & Polymers Area of INASMET from 1987 to 1989. Imaz was recruited by the Mondragón Cooperative Corporation in 1989-1991 as an industrial promoter and trained in general business management in 1989-90. He was head of the Department of Marketing and Foreign Relations of INASMET 1991-1994.

Imaz joined the Basque Nationalist Party in 1978 and became chairman of the youth wing (EGI) of his local party 1979-82. He served on the regional and national committees of the youth movement until 1986. He also served on the Zumarraga municipal assembly of the PNV-EAJ and was a delegate to the national assembly 1983-85, 1986-88 and 1992-94. He served on the Gipuzkoa party executive 1988-90. He also served as Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Treasury Affairs and Development of Zumarraga 1991-95.

Imaz was elected as a Member of the European Parliament in June 1994, and served until 7 January 1999, when he was appointed Minister of Industry, Trade & Tourism and spokesman of the Basque Government. He was re-elected as Minister of Industry, Trade & Tourism and spokesman by a Basque Cabinet meeting on 17 July 2001, having become a member of the Basque Parliament, and held these posts until 13 January 2004.

At the Basque Nationalist Party's general assembly on 17-18 January 2004, Imaz was elected chairman of the "Euzkadi Buru Batzar" (EBB), the national executive of the Party.

After he left active politics, he expressed an interest on going to the private sector but keeping a relation to chemistry.As of 2008, he is the executive president of the Basque-based Petronor oil company.He convinced the Athletic Club Bilbao football team to break its no-logos policy and wear the Petronor logo on their 2008-2011 kit" [http://www.europapress.es/euskadi/noticia-athletic-firma-petronor-acuerdo-lucir-publicidad-camiseta-millones-euros-20080729171622.html El Athletic firma con Petronor un acuerdo para lucir publicidad en su camiseta por 2 millones de euros] ", Europa Press, 29 July 2008.] .

He is married with three children, resident in Donostia.

References

*es icon [http://www.eaj-pnv.com/popup_8_1.asp?id=3 EAJ-PNV profile] , accessed 28 July 2006