Francisco Blanco, a senator from the Principality of Asturias, is slated to become Secretary General for Industry and SMEs at the upcoming Council of Ministers. He will succeed Raúl Blanco, who will assume leadership of the General Directorate of the Industrial Organization School Foundation, according to a statement from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism issued this Friday. Adrián Barbón, president of the Principality of Asturias, welcomed the appointment as beneficial for Asturias, noting that Blanco has long been involved with the region and understands its needs in the ecological transition.
Barbón highlighted Blanco’s proven experience addressing Asturias’ industrial challenges and pointed out that his work as a senator included a focus on the ecological transition. He underscored the belief that the new Industry Secretary General will play a pivotal role in advancing a fair transition and supporting the decarbonization initiatives announced by Vice President Nadia Calviño. The regional president expressed satisfaction with a move that strengthens Asturias’ position in national industrial policy.
Blanco holds a degree in Business Administration and Management and a PhD in Economics from the University of Oviedo. Between 2007 and 2011, he served as Director General of Economic Finance for the Gijón City Council, overseeing budgeting, taxation, accounting, and wealth management. He continued to serve as a councilor in Gijón from 2011 to 2015, balancing municipal duties with teaching responsibilities. In 2015, he was named Minister of Employment, Industry and Tourism in the Asturian government and later won a seat in the Senate in 2019, where he has remained through the thirteenth and fourteenth legislatures to date.
In his senatorial role, he became the spokesperson for the Socialist Parliamentary Group and serves on the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Committee. He has been actively involved in policy discussions affecting the sector and has contributed to debates on industrial development at the national level.
Alongside his political work, Francisco Blanco has led the Institute of Economic Development of the Principality of Asturias and has directed several public entities focused on administration, tourism, and cultural promotion. He has also participated in boards such as Pymar (Small and Medium Shipyards Recycling) and the Port of Gijón, contributing to regional economic advancement and port-related initiatives.
His professional life has also included a strong academic component. He served as an associate professor at the University of Oviedo from 1993 to 1997, and later held a tenured professorship in Applied Economics at the same university, maintaining an ongoing affiliation with the institution. This academic engagement adds to his profile as a policymaker who ties research to practical economic and industrial policy.
In the transition, the incoming Cabinet member Raúl Blanco has been named Secretary General for Industry and SMEs. He will oversee the General Directorate of the Foundation for the School of Industrial Organization, a public institution under the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism. His appointment signals an emphasis on supporting industrial capacity and public service during a period of economic and health challenges for the sector, with a view toward strengthening resilience and long-term competitiveness.
The administration has emphasized that the new leadership will play a key role in implementing the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan financed by the NextGenerationEU funds, including strategic projects intended to drive recovery and economic transformation. This approach is aligned with broader objectives to reinforce the country’s industrial framework and sustain the health and safety of workers and communities across industries.