WIFO Remembers Hannes Androsch

As Finance Minister from 1970 to 1981, he regularly sought the budget expertise of WIFO. Androsch remained closely associated with WIFO even after his time as minister. "From 1982, Androsch was elected to the Executive Board of the Austrian Institute of Economic Research as President of the Banking Association, and was active as a partner of WIFO until the end of his life", says Felbermayr.

Androsch also provided inspiration until the very end. "For example, he inspired and issued my book 'Europa muss sich rechnen', which was published in the run-up to the EU elections", says Felbermayr.

Androsch has shaped Austria as a politician, businessman and citizen for decades. He was a member of Parliament between 1967 and 1981 and Austrian Finance Minister from 1970 to 1981. He also served as Vice-Chancellor under Bruno Kreisky from 1976 to 1981. After his time as director of Creditanstalt, his extremely successful career as an industrialist began.

"Science and research were always a matter close to his heart", says Felbermayr. Following Androsch's role as Chairman of the University Council of the University of Leoben in 2003 the "Hannes Androsch Foundation at the Austrian Academy of Sciences" was established a year later. A few years later, he was Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Finanzmarktbeteiligung Aktiengesellschaft and was finally elected Chairman of the Council for Research and Technology Development in 2010 – a position he held until September 2020.