- Born on 9 December 1954 in Redange-sur-Attert (L)

- Nationality: Luxembourgish

- Parliamentary Secretary of the Christian Social Party (CSV) (1979–1982)

- State Secretary for Labour and Social Security (1982–1984)

- Minister for Labour, Minister Delegate for the Budget (1984–1989)

- Minister for Finance, Minister for Labour (1989–1995)

- Governor of the World Bank (1989–1995)

- Chairman of the CSV Party (1990–1995)

- Prime Minister, Minister of State, Minister for Finance, Minister for Labour and Employment (1995– 1999)

- Governor of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for Luxembourg (1995–2013)

- Governor of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) (1995–2013)

- Prime Minister, Minister of State and Minister for Finance (1999–2009)

- President of the Eurogroup, which brings together the Finance Ministers of all the Member States of the euro zone (elected as the first permanent president on 10 September 2004) (2005–2013)

- Prime Minister, Minister of State, Minister for the Treasury (2009–2013) and Minister for Religious Affairs (2013)

- President-elect of the European Commission, due to take office on 1 November 2014