Mathias is the 6th Secretary-General of the OECD. Prior to his appointment in 2021, he was the Australian Minister for Finance, government senate leader and a senator representing Western Australia. He is a strong advocate for the positive power of open markets, free trade and the importance of a rules-based international trading system. Born and raised in Belgium, he graduated in law from the Flemish Catholic University of Louvain. He migrated to Australia in 1996. Between 1997 and 2003, he was Chief of Staff and senior adviser to various WA ministers and the premier then worked for health insurer HBF.