Joaquín Arias y Díaz de Rábago


Birth Date: In 1916 (†29th May 2007)
Birth Place: Santiago de Compostela (A Coruña)
 Curriculum

He studied Secondary Education at Jaime Balmes Secondary School in Barcelona, where he had moved with his family.
After the Spanish Civil War, he took a degree in Law at the University of Barcelona in 1940. After studying for a year, he was successful in a competitive exam for the position of property registrar.

 Work & Activities

Joaquín Arias y Díaz de Rábago was also director of several societies, originally linked to Pedro Barrié de la Maza. In 1969, he was nominated as director of Banco Pastor and was also the vice-president from 1973 to 2002. In 1969, he became director of Fenosa as well, and was on the council created as a result of the fusion Unión-Fenosa, being also the secretary and vice-president up to 1991. He was also director of Hullas de Coto Cortés, MZOV and La Toja, S.A.
Joaquín Arias contributed to promote Galicia’s development by means of cultural, educative and research initiatives, almost ever thanks to Pedro Barrié de la Maza Foundation. He collaborated with Carmela, his sister, Countess of FENOSA and president of the foundation created by Pedro Barrié de la Maza, her husband, since 1971. Joaquín Arias acted as the first executive director of the entity until 1999 and promoted pioneer programmes for Galicia such as scholarships for all teaching levels; building and equipment of technical schools (Architecture School of A Coruña and Industrial Engineering School of Vigo, germ of the future universities of A Coruña and Vigo); cataloguing and publication of the Galician historical, musical, documentary and natural heritage; introduction of new technologies in teaching and emblematic restorations of artistic heritage such as those carried out at the Porch of Glory and Maestro Mateo Choir.
He was a member of Barrié de la Maza Calculus Centre, of the Galician Language Institute and Pedro Barrié de la Maza Neurologic Science Institute (University of Santiago), president of the Economic and Social Council of the University of A Coruña, and president of the Patronage of the University Colllege of Social Work, attached to the University of Santiago.
He was also a member of the Consello da Cultura Galega, vice-president of Juana de Vega Foundation and member of the Patronage of Pontevedra Museum. He was a member of Nuestra Señora del Rosario Art Academy and of the Galician Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation.

 Other Interesting Aspects

He was honoured with several distinctions and prizes: Knight of St Gregorio Magno Civil Order, awarded by His Holiness the Pope; the “Encomienda” of Isabel, the Catholic Queen; the “Encomienda” with plaque of Alfonso X, the Wise Civil Order, and ‘Montero Ríos’ Prize, awarded by IURISGAMA (Association of Galician Jurists in Madrid).