José Manuel Restrepo
José Manuel Restrepo is an economist, academic, and public servant with a trajectory spanning more than three decades across the public, private, and higher education sectors.
He holds a degree in Economics and a specialization in Finance from the Universidad del Rosario, a Master’s degree in Economics from the London School of Economics, and has completed advanced management studies at INALDE Business School. He also holds a doctorate in Higher Education Institution Management from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom.
His career has been defined by academic leadership. He has served as rector of the Universidad del Rosario, the Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administración (CESA), the Uniempresarial University Foundation (Bogotá Chamber of Commerce), and the Universidad EIA. Through these four presidencies, he became one of the few Colombians to lead four higher education institutions, cementing a career dedicated to talent development, research, and strengthening education as a driver of national development.
In public service, he held the position of Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism between 2018 and 2021.
Subsequently, he served as Minister of Finance and Public Credit. In this role, he led the country's post-pandemic economic recovery, drove measures to strengthen public finances, promoted reforms aimed at economic growth and entrepreneurship, and contributed to Colombia's macroeconomic stability. His work received international recognition in 2021 when *LatinFinance* magazine named him the Best Finance Minister in Latin America.
Throughout his career, he has served on the boards of directors and councils of various public and private entities, including the Banco de la República (Central Bank), the Inter-American Development Bank, FOGAFIN, ICETEX, Celsia, Mederi Hospital, RTVC, and Colsubsidio.
He is married to Tatiana Céspedes and is the father of Julián, Alejandro, and María.
Source: Office of the Vice President of the Republic of Colombia, September 2026