Raquel Cecilia Kismer de Olmos (born 12 December 1952), better known as Kelly Olmos, is an Argentine economist and politician who served as the country's Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security from 2022 to 2023, in the cabinet of President Alberto Fernández.

Kelly Olmos
Minister of Labour
In office
13 October 2022 – 10 December 2023
PresidentAlberto Fernández
Preceded byClaudio Moroni
Succeeded bySandra Pettovello (as Minister of Human Capital)
Secretary of Municipal Affairs
In office
1 March 2007 – 10 December 2009
PresidentNéstor Kirchner
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Preceded byLuis Alberto Ilarregui
Succeeded byIgnacio Lamothe
Legislator of the City of Buenos Aires
In office
10 December 1997 – 10 December 2000
City Councillor of Buenos Aires
In office
10 December 1993 – 10 December 1997
Personal details
Born (1952-12-12) 12 December 1952 (age 71)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Political partyJusticialist Party
Other political
affiliations
Front for Loyalty (2003)
Front for Victory (2003–2017)
Unidad Ciudadana (2017–2019)
Frente de Todos (2019–present)
Alma materUniversity of Buenos Aires

A member of the Justicialist Party (PJ), she has spent most of her political career in Buenos Aires, where she has served as a member of the Deliberative Council (1993–1997), and later, after the adoption of the city's new constitution in 1996, as a member of the City Legislature (1997–2000). She also served in a number of executive positions within the city government under Mayor Jorge Domínguez.

From 2007 to 2011, she was Secretary of Municipal Affairs (a post within the Ministry of the Interior) during the presidencies of Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. She was director of the Banco Argentino de Desarrollo BICE from 2020 to 2022 and later served as vice president of the bank from January to October 2022.

Early life

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Raquel Kismer was born on 12 December 1952[citation needed] in the Villa Urquiza neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, in her own words, a "working-class barrio [that led to her] becoming a peronist".[1] She studied economics at the University of Buenos Aires Faculty of Economic Sciences, eventually graduating with a licenciatura degree.[2] In addition, she has a magister's degree on urban economics from Universidad Torcuato di Tella.[3]

Career

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Olmos' political career began under the wing of Carlos Corach, former interior minister to Carlos Menem. Her first elected post was to the Deliberative Council of Buenos Aires in 1993, before the adoption of the new city constitution which reformed the council into the City Legislature. She also served as a member of the City Legislature from 1997 to 2000, as part of the Justicialist Party bloc backing President Menem.[3] She also served as director of the Corporación Buenos Aires Sur and as Secretary of Social Promotion, Production and Services and as Secretary of Industry and Commerce of Buenos Aires under Mayor Jorge Domínguez.[2]

In March 2007, during the presidency of Néstor Kirchner, she was appointed as Secretary of Municipal Affairs (within the scope of the Ministry of the Interior), reporting to Minister Aníbal Fernández. She remained in the position following the election of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner as president, then reporting to Minister Florencio Randazzo, until 2009. In 2020, she was appointed to the directorate of the Banco Argentino de Desarrollo BICE, a state-owned development bank. She would later become vice-president of the bank in 2022. [2]

In addition, Olmos has served as a member of the national council of the Justicialist Party. She also serves as a member of the Superior Council of the National University of Tres de Febrero (UNTREF) and as director of its Instituto de Administración, Gobierno y Economía.[4]

On 10 October 2022, it was announced Claudio Moroni would resign from his position as Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security. President Alberto Fernández then designated Olmos to the post, and she assumed office on 13 October 2022. It was one of three cabinet appointments made that day, alongside Ayelén Mazzina (to the Ministry of Women) and Victoria Tolosa Paz (to the Ministry of Social Development).[5]

Personal life

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She is married to Orlando Olmos, with whom she has three children.[6][7] She describes herself as a feminist.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Economista e histórica militante del PJ Porteño: quién es Kelly Olmos, la nueva ministra de Trabajo". Infobae (in Spanish). 10 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Ballarino, Florencia (10 October 2022). "Cambios en el gabinete nacional: quiénes son las 3 nuevas ministras a cargo de Desarrollo Social, Mujeres y Trabajo". Chequeado (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Kelly Olmos, la nueva ministra de Trabajo". Página 12 (in Spanish). 11 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  4. ^ ""Kelly" Olmos, histórica dirigente del PJ porteño y experimentada economista". Télam (in Spanish). 10 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  5. ^ Kavanagh, Juan Pablo (13 October 2022). "El sindicalismo le da crédito a Kelly Olmos y se mostró unido en la asunción". Perfil (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  6. ^ "Quién es Raquel "Kelly" Kismer de Olmos, nueva ministra de Trabajo". LaNoticia1 (in Spanish). 10 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  7. ^ Flores Sorroche, Ana (10 October 2022). "Los múltiples lazos con el mundo sindical de Raquel «Kelly» Olmos, la flamante ministra de Trabajo". InfoGremiales (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2022.
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Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Labour
2022–2023
Succeeded byas Minister of Human Capital