Wim Duisenberg
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Template:ECB President Willem Frederik Duisenberg (Wim) (born July 9, 1935 in Heerenveen, The Netherlands) is a banker and Dutch politician.
He was the first president of the European Central Bank, from June 1, 1998 until October 31, 2003. He announced on February 7, 2002 that he would resign on his 68th birthday (July 9, 2003), but he agreed to stay longer until his succession was decided. Actually, until his designated successor, Jean-Claude Trichet, the governor of the Banque de France was acquitted of charges of fraud in connection with the collapse of the French bank Credit Lyonnais. Jean-Claude Trichet took his place at November 1, 2003.
Duisenberg left 'highschool' at age 19 to study economics at the University of Groningen, majoring in international economic relations and graduating at age 26. Four years later, in 1965, he got his Ph.D., the title of his thesis being "The Economical Consequences of Disarmament".
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In the same year he joined the Europe Division of the International Monetary Fund in Washington, where he stayed 4 years. After a one year stint as counselor of the director of De Nederlandsche Bank, the Dutch central bank in Amsterdam, he became professor of the University of Amsterdam where he taught macro economics.
Three years later, in 1973, he became minister of finance under prime minister Joop den Uyl, until he left the cabinet in 1977. Shortly afterwards, he gave up his seat in the Dutch parliament to become vice president of Rabobank, a Dutch private bank. Two years later, he was appointed director of the Dutch central bank, becoming its president from 1982 to 1997.
Wim Duisenberg is married to the controversial political activist Gretta Duisenberg. She became infamous when she declared she was aiming to collect 6 million signatures against Israeli policies; this figure was associated by some with the number of Jewish victims of World War II. During Wim's presidency over the European Bank, Gretta hung a huge Palestinian flag from their house in Amsterdam, which Wim later removed.de:Wim Duisenberg fr:Wim Duisenberg fy:Wim Duisenberg nl:Wim Duisenberg