M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula, WG’70

Former Deputy Prime Minister, Thailand

M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula, a renowned Thai economist, has been influential in government, banking and finance, most notably as the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Thailand and Governor of the Bank of Thailand.

M.R. Pridiyathorn has served in several senior leadership roles, including Senior Executive Vice President at Thai Farmers Bank; Chairman of the Board of Post Publishing PLC, the publisher of the Bangkok Post, Thailand’s leading English-language newspaper; member of the Thai Senate; Chairman of the NIST International School Foundation, the governing body of NIST International School; and Director of the Civil Service Commission of the Thammasat University Council.

Currently, M.R. Pridiyathorn serves as Director and Secretary of the Puey Foundation, Chairman of Puey Ungphakorn, a member of the Board of Governors of the Asian Institute of Management and Chairman of the Board of Post Publishing Public Co. Ltd. He has received numerous honorary degrees in economics and business from several Thai universities. He holds the titles Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Noble Order of the White Elephant and Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand.

Having received his undergraduate degree in economics at Thammasat University, M.R. Pridiyathorn obtained an MBA from Wharton in 1970.