Werner Hoyer | |
|---|---|
 Hoyer in 2017 | |
| President of theEuropean Investment Bank | |
| In office 1 January 2012 – 1 January 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Philippe Maystadt |
| Succeeded by | Nadia Calviño |
| Minister of State for Europe | |
| In office 28 October 2009 – 31 December 2011 | |
| Chancellor | Angela Merkel |
| Preceded by | Günter Gloser |
| Succeeded by | Michael Georg Link |
| In office 17 November 1994 – 27 October 1998 | |
| Chancellor | Helmut Kohl |
| Preceded by | Helmut Schäfer |
| Succeeded by | Ludger Vollmer |
| Member of the Bundestag forNorth Rhine-Westphalia | |
| In office 25 January 1987 – 1 January 2012 | |
| Constituency | Free Democratic List |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1951-11-17)17 November 1951 (age 74) |
| Political party | Free Democratic Party |
| Education | University of Cologne |
Werner Hoyer (born 17 November 1951) is a German economist and politician of theFree Democratic Party (FDP) who served as President of theEuropean Investment Bank (EIB) between 2012 and 2023.[1]
Hoyer graduated as an economist at theUniversity of Cologne in 1974, and worked as a scientific assistant there until 1984. He earned from the same university aPhD degree in economics (i.e. German doctorateDr. rer. pol.) in 1977, with a dissertation calledVermögenseffekte des Geldes – Theoretische Ansätze zur Rolle des Geldes als Vermögensobjekt im Wirtschaftsprozess (Wealth Effects of Money – Theoretical Approaches to the Role of Money as a Capital Property in the Economic Process).[2] From 1985 to 1987, he worked with theCarl Duisberg Society [de] in Cologne. He taught international economics at theUniversity of Cologne until 1994. Hoyer is a member of theUnion of European Federalists (UEF).
In 1972, Hoyer became a member of the FDP, and was a board member of theYoung Liberals from 1983 to 1986. He chaired the local party board in Cologne from 1984 to 1992, and became a member of the FDP board inNorth Rhine-Westphalia in 1984 and the federal FDP board in 1994. Under the leadership ofKlaus Kinkel, he was Secretary General of his party from 1993 to 1994. From 1997 to 2000, he was Vice President and from 2000 to 2005, President, of theEuropean Liberal Democrat and Reform Party.
Hoyer first became a member of theBundestag in the1987 elections, and served as chief whip from 1989 to 1993 and his party's spokesman for security policy from 1990 to 1994. From 2002 to 2009, he was deputy chair of the FDP parliamentary group in theBundestag under the leadership of successive chairmenWolfgang Gerhardt (2002-2006) andGuido Westerwelle (2006-2009). Between 2005 and 2009, he also served as Deputy Chairman of the German-American Parliamentary Friendship Group.
Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, 1994–98
From 1994 to 1998, Hoyer was Minister of State at theForeign Office in theFifth Kohl Cabinet under Foreign MinisterKlaus Kinkel. In this capacity, he was the German representative in a high-level working group chaired by Spanish foreign ministerCarlos Westendorp and set up to prepare the negotiations on treaty change which led to theTreaties of Amsterdam and subsequently,Nice.[3] In 1996, he was the German negotiator during an intergovernmental conference in Turin that was aimed at improvements in theEuropean Union's decision-making processes, including the establishment of aHigh Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.[4] He also repeatedly reiterated German determination to enter a single currency – theEuro – by 1999.[5]
Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, 2009–12
From 28 October 2009 Hoyer was Minister of State at theForeign Office in theSecond Cabinet Merkel under Foreign MinisterGuido Westerwelle. During that time, he was Germany’s official in charge of German-French relations.[6] He resigned in 2012.
In August 2011, Hoyer issued a tough statement criticizing plans byDenmark to build new control posts between the two countries, insisting that this unilateral decision to increase customs procedures on the border violatedEuropean law.[7]
On the basis of a nomination by the German government, Hoyer was appointed as President and Member of the Management Committee of theEuropean Investment Bank in 2012, succeedingPhilippe Maystadt.[8] His competitors for the post were Maystadt himself andMagdalena Álvarez, at the time one of the EIB's eight vice-presidents.[9] In 2017, Hoyer was re-appointed for a second six-year term.[10]
In 2012, Hoyer called for a newMarshall Plan – a reference to the US-financed programme that revived European economies afterWorld War II – to be launched to reanimate the Greek economy, involving both private and public investment. He said the EIB had the resources to invest in Greek infrastructure and support Greek banks to revive lending to businesses.[11]
Following his party’s strong performance in the2017 German elections, Hoyer was cited as a possible candidate to succeedWolfgang Schäuble and take over asFederal Minister of Finance.[12]
During his last annual results press conference in 2023, Mr. Hoyer unveiled the new EIB logo.[13]
On 24 June 2024 the European Public Prosecutor’s Office issued a statement that it had obtained the lifting of immunity for two former EIB employees.[14] Various media outlets reported that Werner Hoyer was under investigation for corruption, abuse of influence, and the misappropriation of EU funds.[15] Hoyer has described the allegations as absurd and unfounded.[16]
Hoyer is married and has two children.[citation needed]
Media related toWerner Hoyer at Wikimedia Commons
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| Preceded by | President of theEuropean Investment Bank 2012–2024 | Succeeded by |
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