Frank Edward Figgures

Nationality

United Kingdom

Date of Birth

1910

Date of Death

1990

Political
Preference

Frank Edward Figgures was a British civil servant, who held various high positions in the Treasury. After having served as a soldier in the World War II, Figgures continued his career as under-Secretary of the Treasury in 1946. He worked on the British post-war economic recovery policies, and occupied various positions in Paris and Washington. In Washington, he was the alternate U.K. Director of the International Bank and worked as Treasury delegate on the European Recovery Plan (ERP). When Robert Marjolin became Secetary-General of the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) in 1948, Figgures was seconded to the OEEC, and became Director of Trade and Finance – which was part of Marjolin’s secretariat. As an international civil servant with a loyalty to the international organization that he was working for, Figgures became involved in the long-term trade liberation programs through the Payments Committee and the Trade Committee.

Subsequently, Figgures became the first Secretary-General of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) from 1960 until 1965 – the competitor of the EEC. In this position he promoted a more united Europe through intergovernmental economic cooperation.