Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir became Minister of Industry and Commerce on 23 May 2013.

Ms Árnadóttir is an MP of the Independence party and served as chairman of the party caucus 2010-2012.

After graduating from the Women’s College in Reykjavík, she completed a BA degree from the University of Iceland in 1991 and subsequently an MS degree in international relations from Georgetown University in the US.

From 1995-1998 she worked for the Icelandic Export Council.

Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir was the political advisor to the Minister of Finance 1998-2005, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs 2005-2006 and to the Prime Minister 2006-2007.

Parliamentary Career

  • She was first elected to the Althingi for the Independence Party in the Southwest Iceland constituency in 2007 and in the South Iceland constituency in 2009.