Johann Schneider-Ammann

Johann Schneider-Ammann
President of Switzerland
Assumed office
1 January 2016
Vice President Doris Leuthard
Preceded by Simonetta Sommaruga
Vice President of Switzerland
In office
1 January 2015 – 31 December 2015
President Simonetta Sommaruga
Preceded by Simonetta Sommaruga
Succeeded by Doris Leuthard
Head of the Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
Assumed office
1 November 2010
Preceded by Doris Leuthard
Member of the Swiss Federal Council
Assumed office
1 November 2010
Preceded by Hans-Rudolf Merz
Personal details
Born (1952-02-18) 18 February 1952
Sumiswald, Switzerland
Political party FDP.The Liberals
Children 2
Alma mater ETH Zürich
INSEAD
Religion Swiss Reformed

Johann Niklaus Schneider-Ammann (born 18 February 1952) is a Swiss businessman and politician. Member of the Free Democratic Party, he was elected to the Swiss National Council in 1999. The son of a veterinary born in Sumiswald, Switzerland, he graduated as an electrical engineer from the ETH Zürich in 1977, and obtained a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD in France in 1983.[1][2]

He acted as head of his family's mechanical engineering company Ammann Group in the 4th generation, from 1990 to 2010, when he passed control over the company to his two children. He chaired the corporate union Swissmem from 1999. He was elected to the National Council in 1999 and re-elected in 2003 and 2007. In the context of the 2008 financial crisis, he took a critical stance on bonuses awarded to the finance industry.[3] In 2008, his company moved substantial funds to a tax haven in Jersey.[4]

On 22 September 2010, he was elected to the Swiss Federal Council, as successor to Hans-Rudolf Merz.[5] He is the head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research—the Swiss commerce minister(formerly the Federal Department of Economic Affairs)--taking office on 1 November 2010.[6] Schneider-Ammann had previously announced his intention to step down from his corporate responsibilities as well as various board memberships if elected.[1]

Schneider-Ammann is married, has two children and lives in Langenthal.

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 "Johann Schneider-Ammann: un capitaine d’industrie". Le Matin (in French). Edipresse Publications SA. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  2. ↑ "Schneider-Ammann: le sacre de l’entrepreneur". TSR info (in French). SRG SSR Idée Suisse. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  3. ↑ Egenter, Sven; Rhodes, Jason (22 September 2010). "Women take majority in Swiss cabinet for first time". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. p. 2. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  4. ↑ Andreas Valda, Schneider-Ammann, ein Steueroptimierer?, Tages-Anzeiger 30 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Elections produce female majority in cabinet". Swissinfo.ch. SRG SSR Idée Suisse. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  6. ↑ "Leuthard au DETEC, Widmer-Schlumpf aux finances". TSR Télévision Suisse Romande. SRG SSR. 27 September 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2010.

External links

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Political offices
Preceded by
Hans-Rudolf Merz		 Member of the Swiss Federal Council
2010–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by
Doris Leuthard		 Head of the Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
2010–present
Preceded by
Simonetta Sommaruga		 Vice President of Switzerland
2015 		Succeeded by
Doris Leuthard
President of Switzerland
2016–present 		Incumbent
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