Johan Witteveen

{{short description|Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (1973–1978)}} {{multiple issues| {{Lead too long|date=January 2020}} {{more citations needed|date=December 2021}}}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Johan Witteveen | image = Johan Witteveen 1984 (1).jpg | image_size = 240px | caption = Witteveen in 1984 | office = Managing Director of the [[International Monetary Fund]] | term_start = 1 September 1973 | term_end = 18 June 1978 | predecessor = [[Pierre-Paul Schweitzer]] | successor = [[Jacques de Larosière]] | office1 = [[List of Ministers of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands|Minister of Economic Affairs]] | status1 = Acting | term_start1 = 7 January 1970 | term_end1 = 14 January 1970 | prime_minister1 = [[Piet de Jong]] | predecessor1 = [[Leo de Block]] | successor1 = [[Roelof Nelissen]] | office2 = [[Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands]] | term_start2 = 5 April 1967 | term_end2 = 6 July 1971 | alongside2 = [[Joop Bakker]] | prime_minister2 = [[Piet de Jong]] | predecessor2 = [[Jan de Quay]] [[Barend Biesheuvel]] | successor2 = [[Roelof Nelissen]] [[Molly Geertsema]] | office3 = [[List of Ministers of Finance of the Netherlands|Minister of Finance]] | term_start3 = 5 April 1967 | term_end3 = 6 July 1971 | prime_minister3 = [[Piet de Jong]] | predecessor3 = [[Jelle Zijlstra]] | successor3 = [[Roelof Nelissen]] | term_start4 = 24 July 1963 | term_end4 = 14 April 1965 | prime_minister4 = [[Victor Marijnen]] | predecessor4 = [[Jelle Zijlstra]] | successor4 = [[Anne Vondeling]] | office5 = [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Member of the House of Representatives]] | term_start5 = 21 September 1965 | term_end5 = 5 April 1967 | term_start6 = 5 June 1963 | term_end6 = 24 July 1963 | office7 = [[Senate (Netherlands)|Member of the Senate]] | term_start7 = 8 June 1971 | term_end7 = 1 September 1973 | term_start8 = 23 December 1958 | term_end8 = 5 June 1963 | office9 = [[Social and Economic Council|Member of the Social and Economic Council]] | term_start9 = 1 February 1952 | term_end9 = 23 December 1958 | 1blankname9 = {{nowrap|Chairman}} | 1namedata9 = Frans de Vries (1952–1958) Gerard Verrijn Stuart (1958) | birth_name = Hendrikus Johannes Witteveen | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1921|06|12}} | birth_place = [[Zeist]], Netherlands | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2019|04|23|1921|06|12}} | death_place = [[Wassenaar]], Netherlands | party = [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] | spouse = {{marriage|Liesbeth de Vries Feijens|3 March 1949|25 November 2006|reason=her death}} | children = 4 (including [[Willem Witteveen|Willem]]) | parents = Willem Gerrit Witteveen (father) | relatives = [[Theo van Gogh (film director)|Theo van Gogh]] (cousin) | alma_mater = [[Erasmus University Rotterdam|Rotterdam School of Economics]] ([[Bachelor of Economics|BEc]], [[Master of Economics|MEc]], [[PhD]]) | occupation = {{hlist|Politician|economist}} | signature = | website = }} '''Hendrikus Johannes''' "'''Johan'''" '''Witteveen''' (12 June 1921 – 23 April 2019) was a Dutch politician and economist who served as the fifth managing director of the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF) from 1973 to 1978. Witteveen attended the [[Gymnasium Erasmianum]] in [[Rotterdam]] from June 1933 until June 1939 and applied at the [[Erasmus University Rotterdam|Rotterdam School of Economics]] in June 1939 [[Major (academic)|majoring]] in [[Economics]]. On 10 May 1940 [[Nazi Germany]] [[Battle of the Netherlands|invaded]] the Netherlands and the [[Dutch government-in-exile|government]] fled to [[London]] to escape the [[Netherlands in World War II|German occupation]]. During the German occupation Witteveen continued his study obtaining a [[Bachelor of Economics]] degree in June 1941 but in April 1943 the [[Reichskommissariat Niederlande|German occupation authority]] closed the Rotterdam School of Economics. Following the end of [[Netherlands in World War II|World War II]] Witteveen returned to the Rotterdam School of Economics and worked as a [[Research|student researcher]] before graduating with a [[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 a [[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 [[List of rectores magnifici of the Erasmus University Rotterdam|Rector Magnificus of the Erasmus University Rotterdam]] from 1 January 1951 until 1 January 1952.

Witteveen became a [[Senate (Netherlands)|Member of the Senate]] after the death of Anthonie Nicolaas Molenaar, taking office on 23 December 1958 serving as a [[frontbencher]] and [[spokesperson]] for [[Ministry of Finance (Netherlands)|Finances]] and deputy spokesperson for [[Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy|Economic Affairs]] and [[Small business]]. Witteveen was elected as a [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Member of the House of Representatives]] after the [[1963 Dutch general election|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 [[1963 Dutch cabinet formation|cabinet formation of 1963]] Witteveen was appointed as [[List of Ministers of Finance of the Netherlands|Minister of Finance]] in the [[Marijnen cabinet|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 [[Dutch public broadcasting system|public broadcasting system]] and continued to serve in a [[Demissionary cabinet|demissionary]] capacity until the [[Dutch cabinet formation|cabinet formation of 1965]] when it was replaced by the [[Cals cabinet]] 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 [[1967 Dutch general election|election of 1967]] Witteveen was again appointed as Minister of Finance and became [[Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Deputy Prime Minister]] in the [[De Jong cabinet]], taking office on 5 April 1967. Witteveen served as acting [[List of Ministers of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands|Minister of Economic Affairs]] from 7 January 1970 until 14 January 1970 following [[Leo de Block]]'s resignation. In February 1971 Witteveen announced that he wouldn't stand for the [[1971 Dutch general election|election of 1971]] but wanted to return to the Senate. After the [[Historic composition of the Senate of the Netherlands|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 [[1971 Dutch cabinet formation|cabinet formation of 1971]] Witteveen per his own request asked not to be considered for a cabinet post in the new [[First Biesheuvel cabinet|cabinet]], the Cabinet De Jong was replaced by the [[First Biesheuvel cabinet|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]], [[Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael|Institute of International Relations Clingendael]], [[Netherlands Society for Statistics and Operations Research|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]], [[Finance]]s, [[Economics]], [[Business]] and [[Sufism]].

Witteveen was known for his abilities as a [[Management|manager]] and [[Consensus decision-making|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 Witteveen|Willem]] was also a politician, professor, and author, he like his father had served in the Senate.

== Early life and education == Witteveen was born on 12 June 1921 in [[Zeist]] in the [[Utrecht (province)|province of Utrecht]]. He is the son of architect Willem Gerrit Witteveen and Anna Maria Wibaut and the grandson of Social Democratic politician Floor Wibaut.<ref name="parlement">{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.parlement.com/id/vg09lld3f4za/h_j_johan_witteveen Dr. H.J. (Johan) Witteveen], ''Parlement & Politiek''. Retrieved on 19 July 2014.</ref> He went to the public secondary school [[Gymnasium Erasmianum]] in Rotterdam. He studied economics at the [[Erasmus University Rotterdam|Netherlands School of Economics]] from 1939 to 1946. He received his [[PhD]] in 1947 with the dissertation ''Loonhoogte en werkgelegenheid'' (Height of wages and employment). His advisor was Nobel Prize laureate [[Jan Tinbergen]].<ref name="parlement"/>

[[File:Ministers van Financien van de landen van de EEG bijeen Amsterdamse stadhuis, aa, Bestanddeelnr 916-6620.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Minister of Finance Johan Witteveen and [[List of Finance Ministers of France|Minister of the Economy and Finance of France]] [[Valéry Giscard d'Estaing]] during a [[European Economic Community]] meeting in [[Amsterdam]] on 20 July 1964.]]

== Career == Witteveen worked as an economist at the [[Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis]] under [[Jan Tinbergen]] and [[Fred Polak]] from 1947 until 1963. He is a member of the [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] (VVD). He served as a [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senator]] from 23 December 1958 until 5 June 1963 and as a member of the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]] from 5 June 1963 until 24 July 1963.

He then became [[Ministry of Finance (Netherlands)|Minister of Finance]] in the [[Marijnen cabinet]] serving from 24 July 1963 until 14 April 1965. He then served as a Member of the House of Representatives again from 21 September 1965 until 5 April 1967, when he returned as Minister of Finance and [[Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Deputy Prime Minister]] serving from 5 April 1967 until 6 July 1971 in the [[De Jong cabinet]]. He again returned to the Senate, serving from 8 June 1971 until 1 September 1973.

Afterwards he became the Managing Director of the [[International Monetary Fund]], serving from 1 September 1973 until 18 June 1978. From 1978 to 1985 he was the first chairman of the Washington-based economics body, the [[Group of Thirty]].<ref>{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.xtimeline.com/evt/view.aspx?id=134185 Hendrikus becomes the fifth Managing Director] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718133323/http://www.xtimeline.com/evt/view.aspx?id=134185 |date=18 July 2011 }}, Xtimeline.com, 25 July 2012)</ref> He became member of the [[Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences]] in 1980.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.knaw.nl/nl/leden/leden/5026 |title=Johannes Witteveen |language=nl |publisher=[[Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences]] |access-date=1 July 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304201518/https://www.knaw.nl/nl/leden/leden/5026 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Personal life == On 3 March 1949 Witteveen married Liesbeth de Vries Feijens (born 1 April 1920). They had four children, three sons, and one daughter. [[Willem Witteveen]] (1952–2014), Paul Witteveen (1955–1979), Raoul Witteveen and their daughter (born 1960). Liesbeth de Vries Feijens died on 25 November 2006 at the age of 86. His eldest son [[Willem Witteveen]] was also a politician, professor and author, he like his father had served in the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]. Willem Witteveen, his wife and daughter died on 17 July 2014 when [[Malaysia Airlines Flight 17]] was shot down over Ukraine. Witteveen was also a first cousin once removed of the in 2004 murdered filmmaker [[Theo van Gogh (film director)|Theo van Gogh]]. Witteveen died on 23 April 2019 in his home in [[Wassenaar]] at the age of {{Age in years and days|1921|06|12|2019|04|23}}.<ref>[https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/news-and-events/news/Professor-Witteveen-his-wife-and-student-daughter-killed-in-plane-crash-Ukraine/ Professor Witteveen, his wife and student daughter, killed in plane crash] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140719204750/http://www.tilburguniversity.edu/news-and-events/news/Professor-Witteveen-his-wife-and-student-daughter-killed-in-plane-crash-Ukraine/ |date=19 July 2014 }}, [[Tilburg University]], 2014. Retrieved on 18 July 2014.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvutrecht.nl/nieuws/1908334/|title = Oud-minister van Financiën Witteveen overleden| date=25 April 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.trouw.nl/home/oud-minister-johan-witteveen-97-overleden-~af438586/|title=Oud-minister Johan Witteveen (97) overleden|date=25 April 2019}}</ref>

==Decorations== {| class="wikitable" style="width:60%;" |- style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;" |+ Honours |- ! style="width:80px;"| Ribbon bar !! Honour !! Country !! Date !! Comment |- | [[File:Legion Honneur GO ribbon.svg|80px]] | [[Order (distinction)|Grand Officer]] of the [[Legion of Honour]] | [[France]] | 25 August 1964 | |- | [[File:BEL Kroonorde Grootkruis BAR.svg|80px]] | [[Grand Cross]] of the [[Order of the Crown (Belgium)|Order of the Crown]] | [[Belgium]] | 1968 | |- | [[File:Order of the British Empire (Civil) Ribbon.png|80px]] | [[Order (distinction)|Honorary Knight Commander]] of the [[Order of the British Empire]] | [[United Kingdom]] | 1969 | |- | [[File:Ordre de la couronne de Chene GC ribbon.svg|80px]] | [[Grand Cross]] of the [[Order of the Oak Crown]] | [[Luxembourg]] | 1970 | |- | [[File:Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Grand Officer.svg|80px]] | [[Order (distinction)|Grand Officer]] of the [[Order of Orange-Nassau]] | Netherlands | 17 July 1971 | Elevated from Commander (20 April 1965) |- | [[File:GER Bundesverdienstkreuz 6 GrVK Stern Band.svg|80px]] | [[Grand Cross]] of the [[Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany|Order of Merit]] | [[Germany]] | 12 October 1977 | |- | [[File:NLD Order of the Dutch Lion - Commander BAR.png|80px]] | [[Order (distinction)|Commander]] of the [[Order of the Netherlands Lion]] | Netherlands | 25 April 1979 | |} {| class="wikitable" style="width:60%;" |+ Awards |- ! style="width:80px;"| Ribbon bar !! Awards !! Organization !! Date !! Comment |- | | [[Four Freedoms Award]] | [[Roosevelt Institute for American Studies|Roosevelt Institute for American Studies]] | 1982 | |- |}

==Honorary degrees== {| class="wikitable" style="width:60%;" |- style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;" |+ [[Honorary degree]]s |- ! University !! Field !! Country !! Date !! Comment |- | [[Erasmus University Rotterdam]] | [[Economics]] | Netherlands | 1979 | |- |}

== Bibliography ==

* {{Cite book |last=Witteveen |first=H.J. |title=The Heart of Sufism: Essential Writings of Hazrat Inayat Khan |date=March 2, 1999 |publisher=Shambhala Press |isbn=9781570624025 |language=English}} * {{Cite book |last=Witteveen |first=H.J. |title=Universal Sufism |date=January 1, 1997 |publisher=Element Books Ltd |isbn=9781862040939 |language=English}} * {{Cite book |last=Witteveen |first=H.J. |title=Sufism in Action: Achievement, Inspiration and Integrity in a Tough World |date=January 11, 2003 |publisher=Vega |isbn=9781843336938 |language=English}} * {{Cite book |last=Witteveen |first=H.J. |title=Sufism in Action: Spiritualising the Economy |date=March 1, 2003 |publisher=Vega |isbn=978-1843336938 }}

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{in lang|nl}} [https://www.parlement.com/id/vg09lld3f4za/h_j_johan_witteveen Dr. H.J. (Johan) Witteveen] Parlement & Politiek * {{in lang|nl}} [https://www.eerstekamer.nl/persoon/dr_h_j_witteveen_vvd Dr. H.J. Witteveen (VVD)] Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal

{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=[[Harm van Riel]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Chair of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy#Vice Chairs|Vice Chairman of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]]|years=1963}} {{s-aft|after=Hans Roelen}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Jelle Zijlstra]]|rows=2}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of Ministers of Finance of the Netherlands|Minister of Finance]]|years=1963–1965 1967–1971|rows=2}} {{s-aft|after=[[Anne Vondeling]]}} {{s-aft|after=[[Roelof Nelissen]]|rows=2}} {{s-bef|before=[[Jan de Quay]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Deputy Prime Minister]]|years=1967–1971|with=[[Joop Bakker]]|rows=2}} {{s-bef|before=[[Barend Biesheuvel]]}} {{s-aft|after=[[Molly Geertsema]]}} {{s-bef|before=[[Leo de Block]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of Ministers of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands|Minister of Economic Affairs]] ''Ad interim''|years=1970}} {{s-aft|after=[[Roelof Nelissen]]}} {{s-dip}} {{s-bef|before=[[Pierre-Paul Schweitzer]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Managing Director of the [[International Monetary Fund]]|years=1973–1978}} {{s-aft|after=[[Jacques de Larosière]]}} {{s-npo}} {{s-bef|before=''Office established''}} {{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the [[Supervisory board]] of the Helen Dowling Institute|years=1988–1994}} {{s-aft|after=[[Leendert Ginjaar]]}} {{s-aca}} {{s-bef|before=Henk Lambers}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of rectores magnifici of the Erasmus University Rotterdam|Rector Magnificus of the Erasmus University Rotterdam]]|years=1951–1952}} {{s-aft|after=Hans Kernkamp}} {{s-ach|rec}} {{s-bef|before=[[Piet de Jong]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Oldest living former cabinet member|years=27 July 2016 – 23 April 2019}} {{s-aft|after=[[Els Veder-Smit]]}} {{s-bef|before=[[Gérard Mertens]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[States General of the Netherlands#Oldest living members of the States General|Oldest living former member of the States General]]|years=12 November 2018 – 23 April 2019}} {{s-aft|after=[[Bart Hofman]]}} {{s-end}}

{{IMF Managing Directors}} {{Ministers of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands}} {{Deputy Prime Ministers of the Netherlands}} {{Ministers of Finance of the Netherlands}} {{De Jong cabinet}} {{Marijnen cabinet}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Witteveen, Johan}} [[Category:1921 births]] [[Category:2019 deaths]] [[Category:Businesspeople from Rotterdam]] [[Category:Commanders of the Order of the Netherlands Lion]] [[Category:De Jong cabinet members]] [[Category:Deputy prime ministers of the Netherlands]] [[Category:Dutch academic administrators]] [[Category:Dutch bankers]] [[Category:Dutch business writers]] [[Category:Dutch chief executives in the finance industry]] [[Category:Dutch corporate directors]] [[Category:Dutch essayists]] [[Category:Dutch expatriates in the United States]] [[Category:Dutch financial analysts]] [[Category:Dutch financial writers]] [[Category:Dutch health and wellness writers]] [[Category:Dutch lobbyists]] [[Category:Dutch memoirists]] [[Category:Dutch nonprofit directors]] [[Category:Dutch nonprofit executives]] [[Category:Dutch people of World War II]] [[Category:Dutch officials of the United Nations]] [[Category:Dutch spiritual writers]] [[Category:Erasmus University Rotterdam alumni]] [[Category:Academic staff of Erasmus University Rotterdam]] [[Category:Financial economists]] [[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)]] [[Category:Grand Crosses with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]] [[Category:Grand Officers of the Order of Orange-Nassau]] [[Category:Grand Officers of the Legion of Honour]] [[Category:Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Category:Ināyati Sufis]] [[Category:International economists]] [[Category:Managing directors of the International Monetary Fund]] [[Category:Members of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences]] [[Category:Members of the Senate (Netherlands)]] [[Category:Members of the Social and Economic Council]] [[Category:Monetarists]] [[Category:Ministers of economic affairs of the Netherlands]] [[Category:Ministers of finance of the Netherlands]] [[Category:Politicians from Rotterdam]] [[Category:People from Wassenaar]] [[Category:People from Zeist]] [[Category:People's Party for Freedom and Democracy senators]] [[Category:Public economists]] [[Category:Rectors of universities in the Netherlands]] [[Category:Vice Chairmen of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] [[Category:Writers from Rotterdam]] [[Category:Western Sufis]] [[Category:20th-century Dutch civil servants]] [[Category:20th-century Dutch economists]] [[Category:20th-century Dutch male writers]] [[Category:21st-century Dutch economists]] [[Category:21st-century Dutch male writers]] [[Category:Dutch MPs 1967–1971]]