The Deputy Secretary-General serves as a member of the senior management team, providing advice and support to the Secretary-General and Assembly leadership, working in close cooperation with and overseeing the work of the Executive Office and Administration, Finance, and Human Resources. In addition, Gustavo Pallares:

• Serves as Finance Officer under Rule 40-3 of the OSCE PA Rules of Procedure.
• Provides leadership to the administration of the International Secretariat.
• Serves as Programme Coordinator for gender issues and Mediterranean affairs, among other responsibilities.

Pallares was appointed unanimously by the Standing Committee in 2007, having worked in the International Secretariat since February 2001. As a Presidential Advisor from 2001 to 2007, he was responsible for the overall coordination of the activities of the Assembly's Presidents. Before joining the International Secretariat, Pallares worked for several years in the Parliament of Spain as a senior counselor to the Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Pallares has also worked for the Secretariat of the European Parliament.

Pallares holds degrees in political science and international relations (University of Madrid and George Washington University) and a Master’s degree in European studies (University of Louvain). He is a distinguished graduate of the Diplomatic School of the Spanish Foreign Ministry in Madrid, where his thesis explored the institutionalization process of the CSCE/OSCE.

Working languages: Spanish, English, French, and Danish.