Marian Banaś graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration at the Jagiellonian University (1979). He also under took religious studies and studied philosophy at the Pontifical Academy of Theology. He completed court application, finalized in 1996 by the judge exam, as well as the auditor’s training at the Supreme Audit Office of Poland (NIK). He also completed postgraduate studies in internal audit (2009-2010).
Mr Banaś was one of the founders and activists (1976-1980) of the Action for Independence and the Institute of Katyń. In 1981-1983, Marian Banaś served a prison sentence for his activity in the Solidarity freedom movement (Solidarność). In 1990, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta by the Polish government in exile, and in 2011 the Officer's Cross of the Polish Order of Polonia Restituta by the Polish President. He also received the medal called: ”Firm in Word” - distinction awarded to people who in the 1980s, risking repression and imprisonment, acted for freedom of speech in Poland. In 2015, President of Poland Andrzej Duda awarded him the Cross of Freedom and Solidarity.
Marian Banaś advised the Minister of the Interior during the government of Jan Olszewski. In 1992-2015 he occupied various positions at NIK (among others senior public audit expert and legal advisor). From 21 November 2005 to 2 January 2008 he served as the Undersecretary of the State in the Ministry of Finance, and since November 28 2005 also as the Head of the Customs Service.
On 19 November 2015, he was appointed Undersecretary of the State in the Ministry of Finance, and on 9 December 2016, Secretary of the State, as well as Head of the National Revenue Administration and Customs Service. He also held the positions of the General Inspector of Financial Information, and the Government Commissioner for Combating Fraud against Republic of Poland or European Union.
Since 4 June 2019 until the election as the President of NIK - Polish Minister of Finance.
Marian Banaś does sports and is a fond karate coach. He is a husband and father.