José Ángel Gurría Trevino is the consummate politician. Forty minutes into our interview on his candidature for the post of secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and he still hasn't used the word "crisis" or "radical reform".

Instead, the former finance and foreign minister of Mexico talks about consensus building, compromise and negotiation when broaching thorny issues such as enlargement of the OECD and its own governance.

Best known for its publications and its statistics, the OECD's work covers economic and social issues from macroeconomics to trade, education, development and science and innovation.

It also plays a prominent role in fostering good governance in the public and private sectors and providing advice to governments.

However, with the addition of six members in the 1990s, the 30 member-states that make up the OECD have become locked in a seemingly endless debate about the way forward.

Reflecting on the current paralysis over decision-making in the economic advisory body - which can only make decisions by consensus - Gurria agrees it is not a very desirable state of affairs.

"To what extent is it possible, efficient, realistic, fair or democratic to have all countries agree every word, cross every 't' and dot every 'i' of every decision?" asks Mr Gurria, who floats the idea of a simplifying decision-making by enabling certain countries to speak and vote on behalf of other states that share their interests on particular issues.

This type of system, which has already been proposed by the US, could see Mexico, for example, representing other Latin American states' interests on particular issues.

It is envisaged that this type of arrangement could make it easier to make decisions.

Another way to streamline OECD decision-making would be to move to a system of majority voting. But the key issue in reforming the governance structure of the OECD, according to Gurria, is keeping the democratic spirit at the OECD while enabling more efficient decision-making.

"Maintaining a democratic spirit does not have to involve every state voting; rather it is about having every state's interests heard and expressed at the OECD," says Gurria, who notes that other bodies such as the IMF have already streamlined their governance structure.

The decision-making log-jam at the OECD is illustrated by several years of fruitless discussions over enlargement. A dispute between EU member-states, who want all the new 10 members of the EU to gain membership of the OECD, and non-EU countries such as the US, which don't want a succession of new smaller countries affecting the balance of power in the body, has stymied any enlargement.

In private, many OECD members admit this impasse over enlargement is damaging the body's reputation, which seeks to advise on globalisation but has not yet invited developing economic powers such as India, Brazil or China to join the club.

Tackling the two related issues of enlargement and governance will be the principal challenges faced by a new OECD secretary-general, who is scheduled to take over from current secretary general Donald Johnston next May.

"OECD countries will be looking for someone who has a good grasp of economic issues but also sensitivity to political issues, someone who knows how to talk to politicians and understands the dividing line between what is politically possible and what isn't," says Nicholas Bray, head of OECD media relations.

All the candidates for the position of secretary general will be invited to Paris next month to outline their vision for the OECD to member states, says Bray.

Gurria, who travelled to Dublin last week to lobby Irish officials for support in the upcoming leadership contest, will face competition from candidates from Australia, France, Japan, Poland and South Korea. Of these competitors, three are former finance ministers and two are academics.

Mr Gurria's curriculum vitae is strong, particularly his success at "armour plating" the Mexican economy when finance minister at a time of political and administrative change in Mexico.

He is also proud of passing legislation which enabled Mexicans to take dual nationality in the early 1990s. This law enabled millions of Mexican living in the US to subsequently take up their entitlement to US citizenship without losing their Mexican citizenship.

But what does Mr Gurria think are the key qualities for the role?

"I think you are looking for somebody who can really position the OECD at the centre of the globalisation process," says Mr Gurria, who believes the OECD can help to make this process more efficient.

Several policy areas identified by Gurria that should be prioritised by the OECD include: water supplies; overseas aid; migration; and poverty. The body needs to take a hard look at itself and refocus, he says.

By the end of the year this consummate politician should know if his next challenge lies in Paris with the OECD.