Raúl Prebisch was an Argentine economist born in 1901, known for his influential ideas on economic development and international trade. He served as the first executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and played a key role in shaping economic policies in the region during the mid-20th century. Prebisch is best known for the Prebisch-Singer hypothesis, which argues that the terms of trade tend to favor developed countries over developing ones. His work emphasized the need for industrialization in Latin America to reduce dependency on primary product exports and promote sustainable economic growth.