His name may ring a bell even with people who have no interest in monetary policy. François Villeroy de Galhau, the French central bank chief, comes from a Lorraine-Saarland industrialist family that founded a faience factory in Saarland in the 18th century. From this emerged the renowned ceramics manufacturer Villeroy & Boch.

However, it's not just the name that connects him to the company. Before becoming Governor of the French central bank in 2015, he served on the supervisory board of Villeroy & Boch. His family home in Wallerfangen near Saarlouis has been owned by the Villeroy de Galhau family for eight generations.

His heritage likely plays a vital role in his stance on Europe. "I am 100 percent French," Villeroy de Galhau said at an event in Frankfurt in late 2023. And he added, "I am 100 percent Saarlander and also 100 percent European." In speeches where he often sprinkles in humorous remarks, the European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council member regularly emphasizes the importance of German-French relations for Europe's prosperity.

Overall, he advocates for strong intra-European cooperation. In his 2014 book "The Hope of a European," he argued for the EU to promote the employment of young adults more strongly and praised the Erasmus exchange program. In recent public appearances, he has also called for a substantial capital markets union in Europe. For his contributions to German-French relations, Villeroy de Galhau was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany last Friday.

However, in monetary policy debates, he is not always in agreement with his German ECB colleague Joachim Nagel or previously with his predecessor, Jens Weidmann. The governments of France and Germany are also regularly at odds in political debates. But for Villeroy de Galhau, this is not a problem. "If two people always have the same opinion, neither of them is any good," he quoted former German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer at a 60th anniversary event for the Élysée Treaty last year.

For the French central bank chief, who turns 65 at the end of the month, debate and subsequent compromise-finding are essential. Former Bundesbank President Weidmann also appreciates this about him. He is very analytical and able to mediate well between Southern and Northern countries in the eurozone in the ECB Governing Council, says Weidmann about Villeroy de Galhau.

The Frenchman's monetary policy stance lies somewhere in the middle between the more restrictive "hawks" and the less restrictive "doves." In addition to leading one of the most critical and influential central banks in the eurozone, his monetary policy stance makes him a sought-after interlocutor for European media. His statements often indicate where the majority opinion of the ECB Governing Council currently stands.

Unlike Austrian central bank President Robert Holzmann, he believes it is almost certain that the ECB will cut interest rates this year. However, the timing of the first rate cut is unpredictable. "As for the exact date, none is ruled out, everything is open at the next meetings," he told the newspaper "La Tribune Dimanche" at the end of January. While financial markets are betting on an initial easing in April, the majority of economists expect this move at the interest rate decision in June.