Carlos Zorrinho (born 28 May 1959) is graduated in Business Management at the University of Évora, which later awarded him a Doctorate Degree in Information Management. He pursued his academic career as a professor at the University of Évora, becoming Full Professor of its Department of Business
Administration. Member of the National Council of the Socialist Party since 1990, he was elected for the first time for the National Parliament in 1995, by the electoral circle of Évora. He was a member of Parliament until 2000, becoming Vice-President of the Socialist Party’s Parliamentary Group in 1999.
From 1997 to 1999, he coordinated the ProAlentejo – Programme for the Integrated Development of Alentejo. In 2000, he was elected Member of the National Council for Education. Later that year, he entered office as Secretary of State Deputy to the Minister for Home Office of the XIV Constitutional Government (2000/2002). In 2002, Carlos Zorrinho resumed his academic career at the University of Évora. After the Socialist Party won the 2005 general elections, he was appointed National Coordinator of the Lisbon Strategy and the Technological Plan, reporting directly to the Prime Minister of the XVI Constitutional Government (2005/2009). Under that capacity, he led the development of the Portuguese Digital Agenda, known as “Plano Tecnológico”, which aimed at improving the country’s competitiveness through technology, innovation and knowledge.
From 2009 to 2011, he served as Secretary of State for Energy and Innovation, within the Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Development of the XVII Constitutional Government. Returning to the Parliament in 2011, Carlos Zorrinho was elected Leader of the Socialist Party’s Parliamentary Group from September 2011 to 2013.
Since June 2014 Carlos Zorrinho became Member of the European Parliament and Head of the Portuguese Delegation of the Socialists & Democrats at the European parliament.
Parliamentary functions:
- Chair – Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
- Member – Conference of Delegation Chairs
- Member – Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
- Substitute – Committee on Development
- Substitute – Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries