Carlos Ferrer

Carlos Ferrer was a prominent Spanish tennis player in his youth, winning a national title in 1953, and playing Davis Cup in 1953-54, captaining the side in 1954. He was also Spanish junior champion in 1947-48. Ferrer studied at the University of Barcelona and the Chemical Institute of Sarria-Barcelona, earning degrees in economics and chemical engineering. He made his career as a businessman, managing several chemical, export, pharmaceutical and automobile companies. In 1973 he founded the Bank of Europe and was president of the FTN, the umbrella group for Catalan businesses, and the CEOE, the Spanish business organization. In April 1997 Ferrer became president of the European Union’s Economic and Social Council, and he firmly supported Spain’s inclusion in the Maastricht Treaty.

Ferrer served as President of the Spanish Olympic Committee in the late 1980s and helped shepherd the Barcelona bid for the 1992 Olympics. He was made an IOC Member in 1985 and served until his early death in 1998, during which time he served on the Finance Commission (1985-93), as its chairman from 1989-93, and he was IOC Commissioner at the 1992 Expo in Seville, Spain.