Preceded by Doris Leuthard Party FDP.The Liberals | Preceded by Simonetta Sommaruga Name Johann Schneider-Ammann Succeeding Simonetta Sommaruga Preceded by Hans-Rudolf Merz Education INSEAD, ETH Zurich | |
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Role Member of the Swiss Federal Council Spouse Katharina Schneider-Ammann Children Hans-Christian Schneider, Daniela Schneider Similar People Simonetta Sommaruga, Didier Burkhalter, Doris Leuthard, Eveline Widmer‑Schlumpf, Alain Berset Profiles | ||
Vice President Doris Leuthard (Elect) Presidential term January 1, 2016 – Succeeded by Doris Leuthard (Elect) | ||
Johann Niklaus Schneider-Ammann (né Schneider, born 18 February 1952) is a Swiss businessman and a politician. Schneider-Ammann is married, has two children, and lives in Langenthal, Canton of Bern, Switzerland.
The son of a veterinarian born in Sumiswald, Switzerland, Schneider-Ammann graduated as an electrical engineer from the ETH Zürich in 1977, and obtained a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD in France in 1983.
From 1990 to 2010, Schneider-Ammann acted as the head of his family's mechanical engineering company, Ammann Group, in the 4th generation, when he passed control over the company to his two children.
In 1999, Schneider-Ammann was elected to the Swiss National Council, and is a member of the Free Democratic Party.
From 1999, Schneider-Ammann chaired the corporate union Swissmem. Schneider-Ammann was elected to the National Council in 1999, and re-elected in 2003 and 2007.
In the context of the 2008 financial crisis, Schneider-Ammann took a critical stance on bonuses awarded to the finance industry.
In 2008, Schneider-Ammann's company moved substantial funds to a tax haven in Jersey.
On 22 September 2010, Schneider-Ammann was elected to the Swiss Federal Council, as the successor to Hans-Rudolf Merz. Schneider-Ammann 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. Schneider-Ammann had previously announced his intention to step down from his corporate responsibilities as well as various board memberships if elected.