He was minister of public works until November 7, 2012, when he announced his decision to run for President of Chile.

Golborne grew up in Maipú, a working-class commune in the south-west of the capital Santiago, where his father, Wilfred, a merchant of English descent[1] developed his entrepreneurial streak through an ironmonger business.

[1][2][3] The youngest of six children in the family,[1] as a teenager Golborne became involved in meetings that the conservative National Party was organizing against the Popular Unity government.

[4] Golborne graduated from the Instituto Nacional José Miguel Carrera,[2] and then was admitted to the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile,[1][2][5] where he pursued civil engineering.

[8] Actor Rodrigo Santoro portrays Golborne in the 2015 film The 33, directed by Patricia Riggen.