Daniel Noboa

Daniel Roy Gilchrist Noboa Azín (born 30 November 1987) is an Ecuadorian politician and businessman currently serving as the 48th president of Ecuador since 23 November 2023.

Taking office at the age of 35, he is the second-youngest president in the country's history, after Juan José Flores, and the youngest to be elected.

Noboa was a member of the National Assembly of Ecuador from 2021 until 2023 when the National Assembly was dissolved following the muerte cruzada mechanism invoked by President Guillermo Lasso.

Before his political career, Noboa served in several positions at Noboa Corporation, an exporting business founded by his father Álvaro Noboa, a billionaire who unsuccessfully ran for president of Ecuador five times.

He has been widely described as an heir to his father's company and fortune.

In May 2023, Noboa announced his candidacy for president in the 2023 snap election, running on the National Democratic Action ticket.

He advanced to the run-off election in October, facing Luisa González, which many interpreted as an upset given his low polling numbers in the days leading up to the election.

Noboa went on to win nearly 52% of the vote in the run-off, defeating González on 15 October 2023.

Noboa is currently the youngest democratically elected serving state leader in the world, and the third-youngest head of government after Gabriel Attal of France and Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso.

Daniel Roy Gilchrist Noboa Azín was born on 30 November 1987 in Miami, Florida, however, he was raised in Guayaquil.

He is the son of businessman Álvaro Noboa and physician Anabella Azín.

After studying at New York University Stern School of Business, he obtained a degree in business administration in 2010.

He continued his career by specializing in several master's degrees.

He was also commercial and logistics director between 2010 and June 2018.

Noboa was elected to the National Assembly in the 2021 legislative elections, representing Santa Elena, for the United Ecuadorian political movement.

He was inaugurated on 14 May in the same year.

In that same May, he was appointed chair of the Economic Development Commission.

His political ideology has been described as both centrist and centre-right.

Noboa was absent during President Lasso's impeachment trial, however a proxy voted in the affirmative.

In March 2023, he was in favor of the muerte cruzada, in the face of the rejection and filing of the Investment Law, presented by the government of Guillermo Lasso.

On 17 May 2023, Lasso invoked muerte cruzada, dissolving the National Assembly and ending Noboa's tenure as an assemblyman.

In May 2023, and with the dissolution of parliament amid the political crisis, he presented himself as a pre-candidate for the presidential elections of the same year, by the political movement National Democratic Action (ADN), and also supported by the movements People, Equality and Democracy (PID) and MOVER.

His running mate was businesswoman Verónica Abad Rojas.

Veronica Abad espouses "openly extreme libertarian and conservative-reactionary positions."

His campaign has focused on job creation, tax incentives for newly established businesses and increased criminal sentences for tax evaders.

He has also pledged to improve the justice system in the country amid growing violence.

His campaign is seen as traditional, drawing on the Grupo Noboa social welfare foundation founded by his parents, as well as his ties as chairman of the Commission on Economic Development.

In two July polls, he was polling at 6.4% and at 3.1%.

In early August, Noboa was polling at 2.5% and 3.7%.

In a poll conducted a week before the election, he was polling at 3.3%.

On 20 August, Noboa gathered 23.47% of the actual votes and advanced to the run-off election set for 15 October, facing Luisa González.

His second-place finish was seen as surprising, with some attributing his rise in popularity to his debate performance.

Noboa credited the young voter base for his victory.

In the second round, Noboa was elected, winning 52% of the vote.

In 2019, Noboa earned a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management in Evanston, Illinois.

In 2020, he studied at Harvard University and in 2022, he obtained a master's degree in Political Communication and Strategic Governance from George Washington University.

At the age of 18, Noboa founded his own company, DNA Entertainment Group, with the purpose of organizing events.

His father, Álvaro Noboa, owns Noboa Corporation, a banana exporter.

Daniel Noboa is seen as an heir to the company.

He has served as shipping director of Noboa Corporation.