Juan Manuel Santos

Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia from 2010 to 2018, transformed his nation through his historic achievement of negotiating peace with the FARC guerrillas, ending a 50-year civil war that earned him the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize. His journey in public service included roles as Minister of Foreign Trade, Finance Minister, and Defense Minister, where he delivered significant blows to the FARC while maintaining peace as his ultimate objective. A highly educated leader with degrees from the University of Kansas, London School of Economics, and Harvard's Kennedy School, Santos co-founded the Social Party of National Unity in 2005 and led Colombia to significant social and economic growth during his presidency. Beyond his peace initiatives, he championed the Sustainable Development Goals and established the Pacific Alliance. Currently, he serves as Chairman of COMPAZ Foundation, which he created to promote peace, protect the environment, and fight poverty, while also holding positions with The Elders, where he was recently named Chair, the Global Commission on Drug Policy, and as a visiting professor at Oxford University. His legacy is documented in his book "The Battle for Peace," and he continues to influence global policy through his work with various international organizations.