Jean Godeaux

BaronJean Godeaux(3 July 1922 – 27 April 2009) was aBelgianeconomist,civil servantand former governor of theNational Bank of Belgium(NBB) from 1982 until 1989.

Jean Godeaux studied both law and economics, and started his career in 1947 at the NBB in the Foreign Affairs department. From 1949 until 1955, he was a member of the Belgian delegation to theInternational Monetary Fund.When he returned to Brussels in 1955, he was appointed as a director of theBanque Lambert,where he subsequently became co-administrator, and laterchairman of the boardof the bank. He was involved in the preparations for the merger with the Banque de Bruxelles, which would lead to the creation of theBanque Bruxelles Lambert.Godeaux resigned in 1974, before the finalisation of the merger, in order to become the president of the Banking Commission of Belgium, and in 1979 he joined theEuropean Commission's Banking Advisory Committee.

When he was appointed as governor of the NBB in 1982, he was immediately faced with the devaluation of theBelgian franc.Due to this devaluation the relations withLuxembourghad been seriously disrupted and he had the task to normalize the relations.

In 1988, Godeaux became president of the Committee of Governors of the Central Banks of the Member States of theEEC,and of theEuropean Monetary Cooperation Fund.In 1989 he contributed to the preparation of theDelors Report.He left the NBB in 1990, after which he joined the board of theSociété Générale de Belgique,where he stayed until 1996. He was succeeded byAlfons Verplaetseas governor of the NBB.

Godeaux had a passion for poetry. The poetArthur Rimbaudwas, by far, one of his favorites. Godeaux made a conference on him at the Midis de la Poésie in 1992.

Godeaux died 27 April 2009 at the age of 86.

See also

• Delors Committee

Sources

• Entretien avec le Baron Jean Godeaux à propos de la lutte contre la corruption(French)
• Jean Godeaux,Report on the Measurement of International Capital Flows,Balance of Payments Compilation Guide, published by the International Monetary Fund, p. 65.