Dr. José da Silva Lopes, eminent Portuguese economist, passes away

The eminent Portuguese economist José da Silva Lopes passed away on April 2, 2015.

With a degree in Finance from the Instituto Superior de Ciências Económicas e Financeiras, now ISEG, in 1955, Silva Lopes began his professional career as an assistant at our school and as a technician at the Ministry of Finance, where he remained until 1964. From there he went to the Portuguese Industrial Association, where he headed up the External Economic Relations Office between 1964 and 1969, after which he returned to the Ministry of Finance to head up the respective Studies Office until 1974, accumulating functions with those of director of Caixa Geral de Depósitos. In this first phase of his professional life, it is worth highlighting his involvement in a number of international negotiations, as part of the technical teams that led to Portugal's entry into EFTA (1959) and the signing of the Trade Agreement with the EEC (1972).

Having been called into government after April 25, 1974, he participated first as Secretary of State and then as Minister of Finance in the First, Second and Third Provisional Governments; he was Minister of Foreign Trade in the Fourth, returning to the Finance portfolio in the Third Constitutional Government. He was also Governor of the Bank of Portugal between 1975 and 1980.

"Economist of economists", as he was referred to in a tribute paid to him at ISEG in 2003.

Silva Lopes was not only a politician and a man of action, he was also responsible for the modernizing impulse that applied macroeconomic analysis has undergone in the last forty years in Portugal. From the list of works he published throughout his life, we highlight his work entitled A Economia Portuguesa desde 1960, published in 1996; and the masterful essay, included in the collective work 20th Century: Overview of Portuguese CultureA Portuguese Economy in the 20th Century", published in 2002.

Professor José da Silva Lopes was awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa by the Technical University of Lisbon, at ISEG, on May 24, 2004, sponsored by Professor José Maria Brandão de Brito. 

ISEG regrets the loss of such a distinguished Professor and Economist and sends its condolences to all his family and friends.

UPDATE

The body will be in a burning chamber from 10:00 a.m. today (April 8) in the Basilica of Estrela, and the Mass will take place at 15:00.