Swiss National Bank (SNB) Enlarged Governing Board

Thomas Wiedmer was born on 23 September 1962 as citizen of Oberburg, canton of Berne. After his mandatory schooling in Muri-Gümligen, he completed the ‘Literargymnasium’ school in Berne-Kirchenfeld and obtained his school-leaving certificate (Matura). He studied economics and psychology at the University of Berne, completing his degree (Lizentiat) in 1990. In the following years, he was a research and teaching assistant at the Department of Applied Microeconomics in the Institute of Economics at the University of Berne and received his doctorate (Dr.rer.pol.) in mathematical economics. In 1994/95, with a Swiss National Science Foundation bursary, he spent some time as a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of California at Berkeley (US).

After returning from the United States, Thomas Wiedmer was employed as a business analyst at Swiss Re. In 1997, he joined the Department of Finance of the Canton of Berne where he held the post of Deputy Secretary General and Chief Economist. The Federal Council appointed him Alternate Member of the Governing Board with effect from 1 May 2000. As Chief Financial Officer, Thomas Wiedmer is responsible for Finance (Central Accounting and Controlling). As of 2008, he also took over Financial Systems (Financial Stability and Oversight). Since 2007, he has been a member of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, acting as a representative of the SNB.

Thomas Wiedmer has been holding a teaching position at the University of Berne since 2001, giving lectures on the topic of equilibrium, capital and growth. He published a number of theoretical, empirically-oriented papers in renowned journals in different fields of economics.

Thomas Wiedmer is married and has two children.