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Former SNB head Hans Meyer dies aged 90

Photo of Hans Meyer
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Hans Meyer, the former chairman of the governing board of the Swiss National Bank (SNB), has died.

He passed away on June 17 at the age of 90, the bank said in an obituary published in the Tages-Anzeiger.

The obituary said Meyer devoted his entire professional life to the SNB. He served as secretary-general from 1972 to 1977, then as a deputy member of the board, and became a full member in 1985. He was vice-chairman from 1988 to 1996, before going on to chair the governing board of the SNB from 1996 to 2000.

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The SNB said Meyer had a decisive influence on Swiss monetary policy and the bank over three decades. He backed the revision of the currency constitution, introduced the monetary policy framework still in place today, and oversaw the reorganisation of cash operations. He also pushed to modernise payment systems and update business processes at the SNB.

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The SNB also said Meyer played a key role in the founding of the Gerzensee Study Centre. It described him as an objective, reliable and modest figure, with a sharp eye for practical solutions.

Translated from German, sub-edited by sp

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