{{Short description|Swiss industrialist and politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Peter Spuhler | office = Member of the National Council (Switzerland) | image = Peter Spuhler, 2007.jpg | alt = | caption = Official portrait, 2007 | constituency = Canton of Thurgau | country = Switzerland | district = | election_date = | predecessor = | preceded = | status = | succeeded = | successor = Verena Herzog | term_end = 31 December 2012 | term_start = 6 December 1999 | title = | footnotes = | date = | year = | source = | signature = | signature_alt = | state = | term = | party = Swiss People's Party | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|01|09|df=yes}} | birth_place = Seville, Spain | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | citizenship = Swiss | other_party = | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Andrea Schaffner|1986|end=div}} {{marriage|Daniela Hoffmann|2008}} }} | partner = | relations = | children = 4 | parents = | occupation = Entrepreneur | profession = | website = | nickname = | allegiance = {{flag|Switzerland}} | branch = Special Forces Command (Switzerland) | service_years = | rank = x25px Captain | unit = Grenadier | pronunciation = | honorific_prefix = | honorific_suffix = | image_size = | education = University of St. Gallen | awards = | birth_name = Peter Christoph Spuhler }}
'''Peter Christoph Spuhler''' ({{IPA|de-CH|ˈpeːtər ˈkrɪstɔf ˈʃpuːlər}}; born 9 January 1959 in Seville) is a Swiss business magnate, industrialist and politician who most notably served on the National Council (Switzerland) from 1999 to 2012 for the Swiss People's Party.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ratsmitglied ansehen |url=https://www.parlament.ch/de/biografie/peter-spuhler/513 |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=Federal Assembly}}</ref>
In 1989, Spuhler took-over Stadler Rail, which was founded by the grandfather of his first wife Ernst Stadler, and has served as its chief executive officer 1989 to 2017 and again on an ad interim basis from 2020 until 2023. He built the company almost from ground-up to a multinational concern with notable projects such as Caltrain in California. His net worth is estimated at $3.9 billion by Forbes magazine.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Peter Spuhler |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/peter-spuhler/ |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-08-23 |title=Stadler wins big contract for Caltrain bilevel EMUs {{!}} Trains Magazine |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/16-caltrain-stadler/ |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=Trains |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Early life== Spuhler was born 9 January 1959 in Seville, Spain, the older of two children, to Paul Spuhler (1920–2014), a chef, and Margrit Spuhler (née Bossard; 1920–2017).<ref>Death notice of Paul Spuhler-Bossard https://www.todesanzeigenportal.ch/?Bhdj1p37RRFFyCwFUNMir00kde2ZCWva4E0QxrN6HxN94BXywoYJdS67xgneLyCqh6D2dkSpDvIhOC2uI2e13dTiKBx6B0ceOXWGfvbBc13E4B9GRodKZWzPdBWO</ref><ref>Death notice of Margrit Spuhler-Bossard https://www.todesanzeigenportal.ch/?HmAxo3kOY3T7timnteMB4o5UjwUIC3N0O0IKNkSlMtdZF8x8kRB7Eu7I1aBkVsWp0QLC17lrA5fNr9sRgsu7gx8J7aYd8pYqQEYGatOoNWPXcXDJEc67sHORO9OP</ref> His father was the head chef of the Dolder Grand in Zurich, Switzerland from 1960 to 1987.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staub |first=Inge |date=2015-01-13 |title=Paul Spuhler hat die «Dolder»-Küche geprägt |url=https://www.tagblatt.ch/ostschweiz/frauenfeld-munchwilen/paul-spuhler-hat-die-dolder-kueche-gepraegt-ld.906735 |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=St. Galler Tagblatt |language=de }}</ref> He has one younger sister, Maya Spuhler.
After completing his Matura in Zurich, as well as compulsory military service, Spuhler studied business administration at the University of St. Gallen from 1980 to 1986. In his youth he played ice hockey for the Grasshopper Club Zürich.
==Professional career== === Stadler Rail === After marrying into the Stadler family,<ref name="CL-Interview">{{cite web|url=http://www.pressebureau.ch/aktuell/details/zuerst-wollte-peter-noch-warten-552.html |title=Interview with Irma Stadler |website=Pressebureau Christof Lampart |date=9 October 2012 |language=de}}</ref> Spuhler took up his position in 1987 at Stadler Fahrzeuge AG, which was then managed by Irma Stadler, the widow of company founder Ernst Stadler.<ref name="CL-Interview" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Irma Stadler im Alter von 96 Jahren verstorben |url=https://www.toponline.ch/radio-top/detail/news/irma-stadler-im-alter-von-96-jahren-verstorben-00146065/ |website=Radio TOP |access-date=23 June 2024 |date=2 December 2020}}</ref> Two years later, he took over the company with its 18 employees and a turnover of approx. 4.5 million Swiss francs, according to his statement with a bank loan from the Thurgauer Kantonalbank for around 5 million Swiss francs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.srf.ch/radio-srf-3/highlights/focus-blind-date/guelsha-gib-mir-geld-dann-verbessere-ich-die-welt |title=Gülsha: «Gib mir Geld, dann verbessere ich die Welt» |website=Focus Blind Date |at=Embedded audio player: "Focus Blind Date mit Gülsha und Spuhler – das ganze Gespräch" |publisher=SRF |date=14 July 2016 |language=gsw |time=7:00}}</ref> He restructured it and, with the Stadler GTW, opted for a new vehicle that was more suitable for modern local transport. In order to continue to be successful in rail vehicle construction, Spuhler bought the Werk Altenrhein from Schindler Waggon AG in 1997. The new holding structure favored expansion into Germany and Eastern Europe. On 1 April 2018, Spuhler handed over the management of the Stadler Rail Group to Thomas Ahlburg. Since then, he has concentrated on the Stadler Rail Group as president of the board of directors.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://stadlerrail.com/de/medien/article/peter-spuhler-uebergibt-die-funktion-des-group-ceo-thomas-ahlburg/85/ |title=Peter Spuhler übergibt die Funktion des Group CEO an Thomas Ahlburg |date=20 September 2017 |publisher=Stadler Rail AG |language=de}}</ref> As of May 2020, due to differences in the strategic and organisational development of Stadler Rail AG, he took over the position of Group CEO ad interim<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.handelszeitung.ch/unternehmen/chefwechsel-bei-stadler-rail-peter-spuhler-zuruck-als-ceo|title=Chefwechsel bei Stadler Rail: Peter Spuhler zurück als CEO|access-date=21 May 2020 |date=21 May 2020 |website=Handelszeitung |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/wirtschaft/unternehmen-und-konjunktur/spuhler-gibt-operative-fuehrung-ab/story/30348405?track|title=Spuhler tritt als Chef von Stadler Rail zurück|work=Tages-Anzeiger|date=20 September 2017|access-date=20 September 2017 |language=de}}</ref> until 2023, when Markus Bernsteiner took over as the new CEO.<ref>{{cite web |last=Burroughs |first=David |title=Stadler appoints new CEO as order intake soars |url=https://www.railjournal.com/financial/stadler-appoints-new-ceo-as-order-intake-soars/ |website=International Railway Journal |access-date=23 June 2024 |date=31 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
===Other roles=== Spuhler is a member of the board of directors of the Aebi-Schmidt Group and is on the board of directors of two other companies: Gleisag (Rorschach) and Walo Bertschinger AG (Zurich). Since April 2019, he has been a member of Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG and also sits on the supervisory board of Robert Bosch GmbH.<ref>{{cite press release|last=Delic |first=Melita |url=https://www.bosch-presse.de/pressportal/de/de/personelle-veraenderungen-in-der-robert-bosch-industrietreuhand-kg-und-in-der-robert-bosch-gmbh-186496.html |title=Personelle Veränderungen in der Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG und in der Robert Bosch GmbH |publisher=Robert Bosch GmbH |date=29 March 2019 |access-date=23 June 2024 |language=de}}</ref> He is also a member of the Mittelthurgau Employers' Association in Weinfelden, the IG Freiheit, the Thurgau Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Weinfelden) and the Information Service for Public Transport (Bern). Spuhler is also involved in the Tele D Foundation (Diessenhofen) and is vice president of the Betriebs AG of the ZSC Lions.
== Political career == From 1999 until 2012, Spuhler sat as a member of the National Council of Switzerland, representing the canton of Thurgau for the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parlament.ch/de/biografie?CouncillorId=513 |title=Peter Spuhler |website=The Swiss Parliament |access-date=23 June 2024}}</ref> and also sat on the Swiss government's parliamentary committee for economy and taxation. Unlike the vast majority of the SVP/UDC caucus, Spuhler is supportive of the freedom of movement of workers between Switzerland and the EU,<ref>{{cite interview |last=Spuhler |first=Peter |interviewer=Marco Metzler |title=«Die Personenfreizügigkeit ist etwas Gutes» |type=video |work= |date=20 May 2011 |publisher= |via=YouTube |location= |quote= |time=3:11 |time-caption=Relevant statements begin from |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvwIMHUBYz4 |format= |access-date=}}</ref>
In November 2020, Spuhler was offered the position of Switzerland's honorary consul to Russia,<ref>{{cite news |title=Russland ernennt Stadler-Rail-Chef zum Honorarkonsul |url=https://www.bluewin.ch/de/news/schweiz/russland-ernennt-peter-spuhler-zum-konsul-456914.html |work=blue News |agency=Keystone-SDA |date=3 November 2020}}</ref> but declined the office.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.handelszeitung.ch/unternehmen/peter-spuhler-nimmt-amt-als-russischer-honorarkonsul-nicht-an |title=Peter Spuhler nimmt Amt als russischer Honorarkonsul nicht an |access-date=23 June 2024 |date=3 November 2020 |website=Handelszeitung |language=de}}</ref>
== Personal life == In 1986, Spuhler married Andrea Schaffner, a granddaughter of Ernst Stadler, who founded Stadler Rail. They had two children;
* Lucas Spuhler (born 1991)<ref>https://www.blick.ch/wirtschaft/stadler-patron-peter-spuhler-62-baut-sohn-lucas-30-als-nachfolger-auf-spuhler-junior-fuehrt-bald-1400-leute-id16905789.html</ref> * Laura Spuhler (born 1994),<ref>https://www.blick.ch/wirtschaft/stadler-patron-peter-spuhler-62-baut-sohn-lucas-30-als-nachfolger-auf-spuhler-junior-fuehrt-bald-1400-leute-id16905789.html</ref> married to Rolf Hächler.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-19 |title=Peter Spuhler's daughter Laura: wedding in Celerina, Marc Sway as a guest |url=https://ground.news/article/peter-spuhlers-daughter-laura-wedding-in-celerina-marc-sway-as-a-guest |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=Ground News |language=en}}</ref>
They were divorced in the 2000s. In 2008, Spuhler married secondly to Daniela Hoffmann (born 1977), who owns the construction companies Esslinger Ltd. and Barizzi Ltd., in Zurich, which she took-over from her parents.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unternehmen |url=https://esslinger.ch/unternehmen/ |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=Esslinger AG |language=de-DE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Daniela Spuhler-Hoffmann: Die unerschrockene Frau vom Bau |url=https://www.handelszeitung.ch/management/die-unerschrockene-frau-vom-bau |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=Handelszeitung |language=de-CH}}</ref> They had two children;
* Ladina Spuhler (born 2009) * Laurin Urs Spuhler (10 September 2015 – 30 October 2015), died in childbed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Peter Spuhler SVP, Stadler Rail & Frau Baby tot Trauer um Sohn |url=https://www.schweizer-illustrierte.ch/stars/schweiz/peter-spuhler-frau-svp-baby-sohn-tot?srsltid=AfmBOopj8KhOuQEhKMEdRwlsCawvEAkGhOmoRgpWsGroU-mYJS7FUznE |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=Schweizer Illustrierte |language=de-CH}}</ref>
Spuhler and his family resides in Warth-Weiningen.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Peter Christoph Spuhler in Warth - Auskünfte |url=https://www.moneyhouse.ch/de/person/spuhler-peter-christoph-131964402101 |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=Moneyhouse |language=de}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website}} * {{Parliament.ch|513}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spuhler, Peter}} Category:1959 births Category:Living people category:People from Seville Category:Swiss People's Party politicians Category:Members of the National Council (Switzerland) 1999–2003 Category:Members of the National Council (Switzerland) 2003–2007 Category:Members of the National Council (Switzerland) 2007–2011 Category:Members of the National Council (Switzerland) 2011–2015 Category:Members of the National Council (Switzerland) for Thurgau Category:Swiss billionaires Category:Swiss military officers Category:University of St. Gallen alumni