Kaspar Villiger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kaspar Villiger
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| Member of the Swiss Federal Council | |
| In office 1 February 1989 – 31 December 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Elisabeth Kopp |
| Succeeded by | Hans-Rudolf Merz |
| President of Switzerland | |
| In office 1 January 1995 – 31 December 1995 |
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| Vice President | Jean-Pascal Delamuraz |
| Preceded by | Otto Stich |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Pascal Delamuraz |
| In office 1 January 2002 – 31 December 2002 |
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| Vice President | Pascal Couchepin |
| Preceded by | Moritz Leuenberger |
| Succeeded by | Pascal Couchepin |
| Minister of the Military | |
| In office 1 February 1989 – 31 December 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Arnold Koller |
| Succeeded by | Adolf Ogi |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 1 January 1996 – 31 December 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Otto Stich |
| Succeeded by | Hans-Rudolf Merz |
| 4th Vice President of Switzerland | |
| In office 1 January 2001 – 31 December 2001 |
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| President | Moritz Leuenberger |
| Preceded by | Moritz Leuenberger |
| Succeeded by | Pascal Couchepin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 February 1941 Pfeffikon, Lucerne, Switzerland |
| Political party | Free Democratic Party |
| Spouses |
Vera Preisig
(m. 1973) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Old Cantonal School Aarau ETH Zurich |
| Profession | Mechanical engineer |
Kaspar Villiger (born February 5, 1941) is a Swiss businessman and politician. He was a member of the Swiss Federal Council (the Swiss government) from 1989 to 2003. He belonged to The Liberals political party.
Villiger served as President of Switzerland two times. He held this important role in 1995 and again in 2002. Before joining the government, he was a member of the Swiss Parliament. He served in the Council of States from 1987 to 1989. He was also in the National Council from 1982 to 1987.
After his time in government, Villiger became chairman of UBS, a large Swiss bank, from 2009 to 2012. He also served on the boards of other big companies. These included Nestlé and Swiss Re. He is a founding member of the Global Leadership Foundation. This group helps leaders around the world.
Early Life and Education
Kaspar Villiger was born on February 5, 1941. His birthplace was Pfeffikon, Switzerland. His parents were Max and Dory Villiger. His grandfather, Jean Villiger, started a tobacco company in 1888. Kaspar has an older brother, Heinrich, and a sister, Monika.
He grew up in Pfeffikon. He finished his high school education in Aarau. Later, he studied Mechanical Engineering. He went to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich. He graduated from there in 1965.
Business Career
In 1966, Kaspar Villiger joined his family's business. This happened after his father, Max, passed away suddenly. He worked alongside his brother Heinrich and sister Monika. Heinrich was in charge of the German market. Monika handled exports for the company.
Villiger helped the family business grow. He brought a bicycle company called Kalt into their business. He then developed it under the Villiger name. He also held important roles in business groups. He was vice president of the Chamber of Commerce of Central Switzerland. He also served on the board of the Association of Employers in Central Switzerland.
In 2004, he joined the board of directors for Nestlé. He also became a board member at Swiss Re. On April 15, 2009, he was chosen to lead the board of UBS. This is a very large Swiss bank. He held this position until May 3, 2012.
Political Journey
Kaspar Villiger was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on February 1, 1989. This is like being a minister in the government. He was a member of the Free Democratic Party. This party is also known as The Liberals.
During his time in government, he led two important departments:
- Federal Military Department (1989 – 1995): This department was in charge of the country's military.
- Federal Department of Finance (1996 – 2003): This department managed Switzerland's money and economy.
He was the President of Switzerland twice. He served as president in 1995 and again in 2002. The president leads the Federal Council for one year.
In September 2003, he announced he would leave his government role. He officially resigned on December 31, 2003.
Other Activities
Kaspar Villiger is a member of the Global Leadership Foundation. This organization helps promote good leadership around the world. It works to prevent conflicts and support democratic governments. The foundation does this by sharing the experiences of former leaders. They offer advice to current national leaders. It is a non-profit group. Its members are former heads of government and other important officials.
See also
In Spanish: Kaspar Villiger para niños
