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Born in Manresa (Bages) on 8 March 1951. He qualified in industrial engineering at the Higher School of Engineering of Terrassa and holds a modern history degree from the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
During his professional career he has managed an engineering company, has worked as professor (1976-1982) and director (1976-1980) of the Sallent School of Advanced Vocational Training, and professor (1982-1995) and member of the board of directors (1983-1987) of the Institut Lacetānia de Manresa. He was also a lecturer at the Catalan Summer University between 1989 and 1994.
He was a boy scout (1966-1975), a member of a youth club (1970-1973), and a member of Crida a la Solidaritat en Defensa de la Llengua, la Cultura i la Naciķ Catalanes (Call to Solidarity in Defence of the Catalan Language, Culture and Nation), and of the Escarré International Centre for Ethnic Minorities and Nations (CIEMEN). He was affiliated with the Confederation of Catalonia between 1980 and 1994 and is currently a member of the Union of Teaching Workers of Catalonia (USTEC).
He was a member of the Socialist Union of Bages between 1970 and 1977, an activist and member of the board of directors of the Socialist Party of National Liberation (PSAN) between 1973 and 1980 and subsequently became a member of the Nacionalistes d'Esquerra (Left-wing Nationalists) and the Entesa dels Nacionalistes d'Esquerra (1980-1989). Since 1989 he has been affiliated with the ERC where he has held several executive posts.
He was the ERC representative on the Mixed Commission for State-Generalitat Transfers from 1993 to 1995, became deputy for the Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya in the Catalan Parliament in 1995 and was spokesperson of the ERC group in that chamber between 1999 and 2004. On 15 October 2004 the president of the Generalitat appointed him minister of Trade, Tourism and Consumer Affairs, taking office on 16 October 2004.
He has written several books, including Catalunya, societat massa limitada, which he co-wrote, and Emancipar Catalunya, which was released recently.