Lars Anell was born in 1941 in the town of Katrineholm, Sweden, and graduated in 1966 from Stockholm School of Economics and the University of Stockholm. He spent four years with the Ministry of Finance before he joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1970. From 1986 to 1992 he served as Ambassador in Geneva, during which period he chaired GATT's Council and Contracting Parties. In 1992 he was appointed Ambassador to the European Union when Sweden started its accession negotiations. In 1994 he left public service and joined the executive team to AB Volvo, from which company he retired in 2001.

Lars Anell serves as chairman of several organizations, including the Stockholm Environment Institute and ICC’s Commission on Trade and Investment Policy. He has published several books and articles in the field of economics and political science.

Lars Anell is married and has four children.