H.E. Mr Fernando Arias was appointed Director-General of the OPCW in December 2017, and began his four-year term of office in July 2018. From 2014-2018 he served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Spain to the Kingdom of the Netherlands (where he began his diplomatic career), as well as Permanent Representative to the OPCW.

Ambassador Arias has been a career diplomat since 1979 and has extensive multilateral experience with issues regarding weapons of mass destruction. In the past decade, he has represented Spain at international organisations such as the OPCW and the United Nations (UN). Additionally, he served as Vice-President of the OPCW’s Executive Council from 2017 to 2018. At the UN, he was Spain’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative from 2012 to 2013. While at the UN, he also served as Vice-President of the 68th Session of the General Assembly and Vice President of the ECOSOC.

Ambassador Arias has also represented Spain in China, Bulgaria, Mauritania, Mali, Argentina, Mexico, and Romania, as well as holding various posts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Spain.

Ambassador Arias was born in Madrid, Spain, in 1952 and holds a degree in law from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid as well as a Certificate in International Studies from the Diplomatic School in Madrid, Spain.

He speaks fluent English, French, and Spanish. He is married and has three children.