Jaime Gama
Jaime Gama is Senior Strategic Counsel at ASG, where he draws on his experience as the longest-serving Portuguese Foreign Affairs Minister to advise clients in Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Over a distinguished career in public policy, Mr. Gama served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Defense, and Minister of State. He was elected Member of Parliament between 1975 and 2011, and served as the Speaker of the Parliament from 2005 to 2011.
As Minister of Foreign Affairs, he signed the Accession Treaty of Portugal to the European Communities, the Friendship, Cooperation and Consultation Treaty with Brazil, and initiated and concluded negotiations with China on the handover of Macau.
Mr. Gama negotiated and signed the New York Agreements between the UN, Indonesia, and Portugal that led to the self-determination and independence of East-Timor. On several occasions, he managed crisis and peace and reconciliation efforts in Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau. Mr. Gama was the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2002 when Angola reached peace after a 27-year civil war.
Mr. Gama proposed, negotiated, and launched the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP).
As Foreign Minister he proposed and organized, with Algeria and Egypt, the first Africa-EU Summit, paving the way for the Africa-EU Partnership. As Speaker of the Parliament he negotiated and implemented the Parliamentary Forum of the Ibero-American Community of Nations.
Mr. Gama is a member of the Aspen Ministers Forum and of the European Council on Foreign Relations. He holds seats on the Strategic Council of the Institute of Political Studies of the Catholic University of Portugal and on the General Council of the University of Lisbon.
He was Chairman of Bertrand publishers and served on the Board of Portugal Telecom International. He is currently Chairman of the Board of the bank Novo Banco Azores, Chairman and President of the Board of the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation, and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the digital newspaper Observador. Mr. Gama was recently appointed Chancellor of the ancient Military Orders of Portugal by the Portuguese President.
Mr. Gama holds a degree in Philosophy from the University of Lisbon.
He is based in Lisbon, Portugal.