Otto Herrigel
Namibian businessman and politician (1937–2013)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Otto Herrigel (27 June 1937 – 13 May 2013) was a Namibian businessman, and politician. He served as Namibia's first Minister of Finance between 1990 and 1992.
Otto Herrigel | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 21 March 1990 – 10 April 1992 | |
| President | Sam Nujoma |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Gert Hanekom |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 June 1937 |
| Died | 13 May 2013 (aged 75) |
| Party |  SWAPO |
| Spouse | Karin Herrigel |
| Children | 2 |
| University of Heidelberg University of Basel | |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| [1] | |
Herrigel was born in Walvis Bay and grew up in Swakopmund. He studied economics at University of Heidelberg, and in 1971 obtained a doctoral degree from University of Basel, his thesis was about the demographic and economic development of South West Africa since 1921.[2]
A member of SWAPO since before Independence of Namibia, Herrigel worked as a businessman and farmer, before he was appointed Namibia's first Minister of Finance on 21 March 1990. Prominent businessman and then-Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Harold Pupkewitz commented "Dr Herrigel [is a] man of decision-making abilities and sound judgement".[3] Herrigel resigned in 1992, reportedly due to differences with president Sam Nujoma over fiscal policy and the procurement of a presidential aircraft. Afterwards Herrigel was on the board of the Bank of Namibia (1998-2008), and on the board of directors of TransNamib (2001-2002).[4]
Herrigel and his wife Karin raised two GDR kids as foster children - children who had been removed from their parents and brought up in the German Democratic Republic.[4]