Johan Witteveen

Hendrikus Johannes "Johan" Witteveen (12 June 1921 – 23 April 2019) was a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and economist. He served as Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 1 September 1973 until 18 June 1978.

Johan Witteveen
Johan Witteveen in 1984
5th Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
In office 1 September 1973 – 18 June 1978
Preceded by	Pierre-Paul Schweitzer
Succeeded by	Jacques de Larosière
Minister of Economic Affairs
In office 7 January 1970 – 14 January 1970 Ad interim
Prime Minister	Piet de Jong
Preceded by	Leo de Block
Succeeded by	Roelof Nelissen
Deputy Prime Minister
In office 5 April 1967 – 6 July 1971 Serving with Joop Bakker
Prime Minister	Piet de Jong
Preceded by	Jan de Quay Barend Biesheuvel
Succeeded by	Roelof Nelissen Molly Geertsema
Minister of Finance
In office 5 April 1967 – 6 July 1971
Prime Minister	Piet de Jong
Preceded by	Jelle Zijlstra
Succeeded by	Roelof Nelissen
In office 24 July 1963 – 14 April 1965
Prime Minister	Victor Marijnen
Preceded by	Jelle Zijlstra
Succeeded by	Anne Vondeling
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 21 September 1965 – 5 April 1967
In office 5 June 1963 – 24 July 1963
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Member of the Senate
In office 8 June 1971 – 1 September 1973
In office 23 December 1958 – 5 June 1963
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Member of the Social and Economic Council
In office 1 February 1952 – 23 December 1958
Chairman	Frans de Vries (1952–1958) Gerard Verrijn Stuart (1958)
Personal details
Born	Hendrikus Johannes Witteveen (1921-06-12)12 June 1921 Zeist, Netherlands
Died	23 April 2019(2019-04-23) (aged 97) Wassenaar, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (from 1950)
Spouse(s)	Liesbeth de Vries Feijens ​ ​ (m. 1949; died 2006)​
Children	Willem Witteveen (1952–2014) Paul Witteveen (1955–2012) Raoul Witteveen (born 1955) Daughter (born 1960)
Father	Willem Gerrit Witteveen (1891–1979)
Relatives	Theo van Gogh (first cousin once-removed)
Alma mater	Rotterdam School of Economics (Bachelor of Economics, Master of Economics, Doctor of Philosophy)
Occupation	Politician · Civil servant · Economist · Financial adviser · Financial analyst · Researcher · Banker · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Academic administrator · Lobbyist · Author · Professor

Witteveen attended the Gymnasium Erasmianum in Rotterdam from June 1933 until June 1939 and applied at the Rotterdam School of Economics in June 1939 majoring in Economics. On 10 May 1940 Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands and the government fled to London to escape the German occupation. During the German occupation Witteveen continued his study obtaining an Bachelor of Economics degree in June 1941 but in April 1943 the German occupation authority closed the Rotterdam School of Economics. Following the end of World War II Witteveen returned to the Rotterdam School of Economics and worked as a student researcher before graduating with an Master of Economics degree in December 1945 and worked as an associate professor of Financial economics at the Rotterdam School of Economics from December 1945 until July 1947 when got a doctorate as an Doctor of Philosophy in Financial economics. Witteveen worked as a researcher for the Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB) from April 1945 until July 1947 and as a professor of Financial economics at the Rotterdam School of Economics from July 1947 until 24 July 1963. He also served as Rector Magnificus of the Erasmus University Rotterdam from 1 January 1951 until 1 January 1952.

Witteveen became a Member of the Senate after the death of Anthonie Nicolaas Molenaar, taking office on 23 December 1958 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Finances and deputy spokesperson for Economic Affairs and Small business. Witteveen was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1963, he subsequently resigned as a Member of the Senate the same day he was installed as Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 5 June 1963. Following the cabinet formation of 1963 Witteveen was appointed as Minister of Finance in the Cabinet Marijnen, taking office on 24 July 1963. The Cabinet Marijnen fell on 27 February 1965 after a disagreement in the coalition about reforms to the public broadcasting system and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the cabinet formation of 1965 when it was replaced by the Cabinet Cals on 14 April 1965. Witteveen returned as a distinguished professor of Public economics at the Rotterdam School of Economics on 1 September 1965. Witteveen subsequently returned as a Member of the House of Representatives after the resignation of Lambertus Oldenbanning, taking office on 21 September 1965 serving as a frontbencher chairing the parliamentary committee for Finances and spokesperson for Finances and deputy spokesperson for Economic Affairs. After the election of 1967 Witteveen was again appointed as Minister of Finance and became Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet De Jong, taking office on 5 April 1967. Witteveen served as acting Minister of Economic Affairs from 7 January 1970 until 14 January 1970 following the resignation Leo de Block. In February 1971 Witteveen announced that he wouldn't stand for the election of 1971 but wanted to return to the Senate. After the Senate election of 1971 Witteveen returned as a Member of the Senate, taking office on 8 June 1971 serving as a frontbencher chairing the parliamentary committee for Finances and spokesperson for Finances and Economic Affairs. Following the cabinet formation of 1971 Witteveen per his own request asked not to be considered for a cabinet post in the new cabinet, the Cabinet De Jong was replaced by the Cabinet Biesheuvel I on 6 July 1971. In August 1973 Witteveen was nominated as the next Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), he resigned as a Member of the Senate the same day he was installed as Managing Director, serving from 1 September 1973 until 18 June 1978.

Witteveen retired after spending 20 years in national politics and became active in the private sector and public sector and occupied numerous seats as a corporate director and nonprofit director on several boards of directors and supervisory boards (Rockefeller Foundation, Tinbergen Institute, Group of Thirty, Institute of International Relations Clingendael, Society for Statistics and Operations Research and the Helen Dowling Institute) and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government (SEO Economic Research, Cadastre Agency and Statistics Netherlands) and as an advocate and lobbyist for Sufism and Financial regulation. Witteveen was also a prolific author, having written more than a dozen books since 1947 about Politics, Finances, Economics, Business and Sufism.

Witteveen was known for his abilities as a manager and consensus builder. Witteveen continued to comment on political affairs as a statesman until his death at the age of 97 and holds the distinction as the only Dutchman that served as Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. His eldest son Willem was also a politician, professor and author, he like his father had served in the Senate.