Former National Bank President Thomas Jordan Becomes First Distinguished Fellow at Avenir Suisse

1. Overview

  • Author: finews.ch
  • Source: https://www.finews.ch/news/finanzplatz/70173-thomas-jordan-avenir-suisse-distinguished-fellow-nationalbank-zurich-insurance-finanzplatz-schweiz
  • Date: [Not specified in article]
  • Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

2. Article Summary

What's it about? The think tank Avenir Suisse is launching a new fellowship program for its 25th anniversary and appointing former SNB President Thomas Jordan as the first Distinguished Fellow. The program aims to honor distinguished personalities and utilize their expertise.

Important facts:

  • Thomas Jordan was a member of the SNB Governing Board for 17 years, including 12 years as President
  • New fellowship program honors personalities from politics, academia, and society
  • Jordan represented Switzerland in international organizations (IMF, BIS, FSB)
  • Jordan recently became a board member at Zurich Insurance
  • Fellows are intended to serve as catalysts and ambassadors for Avenir Suisse
  • The program launches for the think tank's 25th anniversary
  • Avenir Suisse aims to strengthen its network

Affected groups: Think tank landscape, Swiss financial sector, political opinion formation, international financial organizations

Opportunities & Risks:

  • Opportunities: Strengthening expertise at Avenir Suisse, better networking between academia and practice
  • Risks: Possible conflicts of interest through parallel mandates, concentration of influence among few individuals

Recommendations: Ensure transparency in selection criteria for Fellows and disclosure of potential conflicts of interest.

3. Future Outlook

Short-term (1 year): Additional Distinguished Fellows are likely to be appointed; Jordan's influence on economic policy debate could grow through the fellowship.

Medium-term (5 years): The fellowship program could establish itself as an important instrument for policy advisory and inspire other think tanks to similar programs.

Long-term (10-20 years): Possible development into an influential network of former top officials and business leaders with significant influence on Swiss politics.

4. Fact Check

  • Thomas Jordan's 17-year SNB membership and 12 years as President are correct
  • His representation of Switzerland at IMF, BIS, and FSB is confirmed
  • The appointment to Zurich's board was publicly communicated
  • Avenir Suisse was indeed founded in 1999 (25 years) [⚠️ Exact founding date still to be verified]

5. Additional Sources

Recommended additional sources for various perspectives:

  • Official Avenir Suisse website
  • SNB archive on Thomas Jordan's tenure
  • Media reports on his other mandates

6. Source List

  • Original source: Another Job for Ex-National Bank President Thomas Jordan, finews.ch
  • Additional sources:
    1. [Additional sources for verification recommended]
    2. [Official Avenir Suisse announcement]
    3. [SNB archive on Thomas Jordan]
  • Facts checked: on [Current date]

Brief Summary

Thomas Jordan's appointment as the first Distinguished Fellow at Avenir Suisse marks the launch of a new program to honor distinguished personalities. The fellowship strengthens the connection between former monetary policy leadership and economic policy think work. The concentration of influence and possible conflicts of interest through multiple mandates deserve critical attention.

Three Key Questions

  1. Transparency: How transparent are the selection criteria for Distinguished Fellows and what conflicts of interest could arise from Jordan's multiple mandates?

  2. Responsibility: What responsibility does Avenir Suisse bear to ensure that the fellowship program does not lead to a concentration of economic policy influence among few individuals?

  3. Innovation: Can the new fellowship program actually develop innovative ideas for tomorrow's Switzerland or does it reinforce established thinking patterns?