Position: Finance Minister of Estonia
Incumbent: Jurgen Ligi
Date of Birth: July 16, 1959
Term: He became finance minister in 2009 to replace Social Democrat Ivari Padar, whose party was dismissed by the prime minister over disagreements on economic and social policy.
Key facts:
-- Ligi took over the finance minister's job at one of the country's most difficult times in recent history as economic growth fell 13.9 percent year-on-year. He had earlier been head of parliament's finance committee, where he was a loyal ally to Prime Minister Andrus Ansip.
-- His political career has covered 20 years and four terms as a parliamentarian and one stint as defence minister.
-- Ligi is a quiet achiever with a dry sense of humour, but has a strong will that has pushed the finance ministry into a significant role in the government to help enforce tough austerity measures.
-- He promises to continue with conservative fiscal policies after euro adoption on January 1 as he hopes to guide the country back to budget surpluses and replenish its crucial stabilisation reserves.