Wim Duisenberg

Willem Frederik "Wim" Duisenberg (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋɪləm ˈfreːdəˌrɪk ʋɪm ˈdœysənˌbɛrx]; 9 July 1935 – 31 July 2005) was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA).

Duisenberg a economist by occupation, worked for the International Monetary Fund and the Central Bank of the Netherlands from 1966 until 1970. Duisenberg became a professor of Macroeconomics at the University of Amsterdam in 1970. After the Dutch general election of 1972 Duisenberg was asked by the Labour Party (PvdA) to become Minister of Finance in the Cabinet Den Uyl under Prime Minister Joop den Uyl. Duisenberg accepted and resigned as a professor the day the Cabinet Den Uyl was installed on 11 May 1973. Duisenberg remained Minister of Finance until the Cabinet Van Agt I was installed on 19 December 1977. He was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after Dutch general election of 1977, serving from 8 June 1977 until 8 September 1977 and from 16 January 1978 until 28 June 1978.

After his secretaryship, Duisenberg worked for the Central Bank of the Netherlands from 1 Augustus 1978 until 1 January 1982 when he became the President of the Central Bank of the Netherlands serving until 1 July 1997 when he became the President of the European Monetary Institute which later became the European Central Bank (ECB). Duisenberg served as the first President of the European Central Bank from 1 July 1998 until 1 November 2003. He was instrumental in the introduction of the euro in the European Union in 2002.