22 Facts About Wim Duisenberg

Wim Duisenberg worked as a professor of Macroeconomics at the University of Amsterdam from February 1970 until May 1973.

In June 1978 Wim Duisenberg unexpectedly announced his retirement and resigned from the House of Representatives on 28 June 1978.

Wim Duisenberg semi-retired from active politics at just 42 and became active in the private sector as a corporate director, and worked as a banker for the Rabobank.

In November 1981 Wim Duisenberg was nominated as the next President of the Central Bank taking office on 1 January 1982.

In June 1997 Wim Duisenberg was nominated as the next President of the European Monetary Institute, taking office on 1 July 1997.

In May 1998 the EMI was reformed to the European Central Bank with Wim Duisenberg appointed as the first President of the European Central Bank serving from 1 June 1998 until 31 October 2003.

Wim Duisenberg retired from active politics a second time at 68 and became active again in the private and public sectors as a corporate and non-profit director and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government.

Willem Frederik Wim Duisenberg was born on 9 July 1935 in the Frisian city of Heerenveen in the Netherlands.

Wim Duisenberg was the son of Lammert Duisenberg, who was a waterworks supervisor, and Antje Ykema.

Wim Duisenberg went to a public primary school in his hometown.

Wim Duisenberg went to secondary school, first one year of Hogere Burgerschool and then gymnasium with natural sciences, in Heerenveen.

Wim Duisenberg was a member of Groninger Studentencorps Vindicat atque Polit.

Wim Duisenberg subsequently worked for the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC, for years followed by a year as an advisor to the director of the Nederlandsche Bank, the Dutch central bank in Amsterdam.

Wim Duisenberg was then appointed a professor at the University of Amsterdam where he taught macroeconomics.

From 1973 to 1977, Wim Duisenberg was Minister of Finance under Prime Minister Joop den Uyl.

Wim Duisenberg followed German central bank's interest rate policies closely, which earned him the nickname "Mr Fifteen Minutes" because he quickly followed any interest rate changes made by the Deutsche Bundesbank.

In 1999, Wim Duisenberg received the Vision for Europe Award in recognition of his efforts toward the unification of Europe.

Wim Duisenberg repeatedly said it was up to European governments to pursue structural changes such as loosening rigid rules on hiring and firing personnel if they wanted more growth.

Wim Duisenberg announced he would retire on 9 July 2003, but he remained in office until Trichet was cleared of charges of fraud in connection with the collapse of the French bank Credit Lyonnais.

Wim Duisenberg died in 2005 at the age of 70 while on vacation at his villa in Faucon near Orange, France.

Wim Duisenberg drowned in his swimming pool after suffering a heart attack.

Wim Duisenberg was buried later that day in the Zorgvlied cemetery in Amsterdam.