President of the European Central Bank since 2003, Trichet was chairman of the European Monetary Committee (1992-1993), Governor of the Banque de France (for two terms), member of the Board of Directors of the Bank for International Settlements, Governor of the World Bank until 1995 and Alternate Governor of the International Monetary Fund until 2003.
A civil mining engineer, Trichet has been decorated with the French Commandeur de l’Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur and the Prix franco-allemand de la Culture - Deutsch-Französicher Kulturpreis in 2006.