Born in Athens December 10th, 1956. He graduated from the Department of Economics, University of Athens in 1978. He obtained his post-graduate degrees (MPhil 1980, DPhil 1982) from Oxford University, specializing in Economic Theory and Policy. He was Research Fellow and Lecturer at St. Catherine's College, Oxford University, from 1982 to 1986. At the same time he worked at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, specializing in the petroleum market and the consequences of petroleum crises on the global economy. Following his return to Greece and the fulfillment of his military service, he worked as a Special Advisor to the Ministry of Economy and Finance (1986-1989) on Public Enterprises and Incomes Policy issues, and to the Bank of Greece (1989-1994) on Monetary Policy issues. During that period he represented the Bank of Greece as an alternate member in the Meetings of the Governors of European Union's Central Banks.

He is Professor of Economics at the Department of Economics, University of Athens, which he joined in 1989. He teaches Macroeconomics and Economic Policy. He has published articles in academic journals on Macroeconomics, Optimum Taxation Theory, Public Debt Dynamics, Economic and Monetary Union, Energy Economics, Monetary Policy, Distortions of Financial Systems. His academic and professional interests focus on the following fields: economic theory, economic policy, international economics, monetary economics, energy economics, public finance, banking, project evaluation and the effects of Economic and Monetary Union on the Greek economy.

From 1994 to July 2000 he was Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors at the Ministry of Economy and Finance. He participated in the design of macroeconomic and structural policies (especially in the design and implementation of the Convergence Programmes) and represented the Ministry of Economy and Finance at the Monetary Committee (now Economic and Financial Committee) of the European Union. In this capacity, he participated in the negotiations for the entry of Greece in the Economic and Monetary Union. He was responsible for the consultations with international organizations, such as the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

From 1994 to 1997 he was Vice Chairman of the Public Gas Corporation and a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Debt Management Office (from 1998 until July 2000). From 2000 to 2004 he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Emporiki Bank and Vice Chairman of the Association of Greek Banks. From 2005 to August 2008 he was managing director of Kappa Securities and a Trustee of Gennadius Library. From September 2009 to June 2012 he served as Director General of the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE). He was the Minister of Development, Competitiveness and Shipping of the Interim Government (May-June 2012).