Marcia De Wachter
Encyclopedia
Marcia De Wachter is a Belgian
businesswoman who is a Director of the National Bank of Belgium
(NBB) and a member of the Bankcommissie, Belgium's financial regulatory authority. She was appointed Director (Honorary Vice-Governor) of the NBB on 1 March 1999 for a first term of 6 years, which was renewed on 1 March 2005 for a second term of six years. She is an advisor of the Itinera Institute
. Marcia De Wachter is married to Leo Steenbergen, CFO of Telenet
.
(Universitaire Faculteiten St.-Ignatius Antwerpen – UFSIA) in 1975. In 1979, she obtained a Master of Arts in Economics at the University of Chicago
and a PhD in Applied Economics at the UFSIA in 1983.
(UvA). From 1984 until July 1988 she was part-time lecturer at UFSIA.
From March 1986 until June 1988 Marcia De Wachter was Economic Advisor in the Socio-economic Cabinet of Belgian Prime Minister Wilfried Martens
and Coordinator from July 1988 until March 1990.
She started her career at the NBB in April 1990, where she would be Spokesperson for the National Bank of Belgium until February 1994. From January 1991 until October 1996, she acted as Department Advisor at the Cabinet of Alfons Verplaetse
Governor of the NBB after which she became Secretary-General of the Bank from 1 November 1996 until 26 February 1999. On 1 March 1999 she became Vice-Governor of the NBB which she would remain until 3 August 2003. On 4 August 2003, she became Honorary Vice-Governor of the NBB. In 2003 she was Belgium's candidate for a place on the board of the European Central Bank
, but was not selected.
De Wachter was the author of an influential 2007 report into the state of the Belgian economy, of which she is an advocate of liberalisation, especially in the ICT
sector.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
businesswoman who is a Director of the National Bank of Belgium
National Bank of Belgium
The National Bank of Belgium has been the central bank of Belgium since 1850...
(NBB) and a member of the Bankcommissie, Belgium's financial regulatory authority. She was appointed Director (Honorary Vice-Governor) of the NBB on 1 March 1999 for a first term of 6 years, which was renewed on 1 March 2005 for a second term of six years. She is an advisor of the Itinera Institute
Itinera Institute
The Itinera Institute is a Brussels-based independent think-tank that undertakes research that “identifies and promotes roads for policy reform towards sustained economic growth and social protection, for Belgium and its regions.” It was founded in 2006 by Professor Marc De Vos.-Scholars:As of mid...
. Marcia De Wachter is married to Leo Steenbergen, CFO of Telenet
Telenet
Telenet was a commercial packet switched network which went into service in 1974. It was the first packet-switched network service that was available to the general public. Various commercial and government interests paid monthly fees for dedicated lines connecting their computers and local...
.
Education
She graduated in Applied Economics at the University of AntwerpUniversity of Antwerp
The University of Antwerp is one of the major Belgian universities located in the city of Antwerp. The name is sometimes abbreviated as UA.-History:...
(Universitaire Faculteiten St.-Ignatius Antwerpen – UFSIA) in 1975. In 1979, she obtained a Master of Arts in Economics at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and a PhD in Applied Economics at the UFSIA in 1983.
Career
In October 1975, she started her career as a scientific assistant at the UFSIA until September 1977. From October 1979 until July 1988 she worked as a scientific assistant at UFSIA-SESO. From April 1984 until July 1985, she worked as scientific assistant at the Universiteit van AmsterdamUniversiteit van Amsterdam
The University of Amsterdam or the UvA is a public research university located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Founded in 1632 as the Athenaeum Illustre by the scholars Gerardus Vossius and Caspar Barlaeus, it is the third-oldest university in the Netherlands...
(UvA). From 1984 until July 1988 she was part-time lecturer at UFSIA.
From March 1986 until June 1988 Marcia De Wachter was Economic Advisor in the Socio-economic Cabinet of Belgian Prime Minister Wilfried Martens
Wilfried Martens
Wilfried Martens is a Belgian politician. He was born in Sleidinge . Martens was the 44th Prime Minister of Belgium from 3 April 1979 to 6 April 1981 and 17 December 1981 to 7 March 1992....
and Coordinator from July 1988 until March 1990.
She started her career at the NBB in April 1990, where she would be Spokesperson for the National Bank of Belgium until February 1994. From January 1991 until October 1996, she acted as Department Advisor at the Cabinet of Alfons Verplaetse
Alfons Verplaetse
Alfons "Fons", Viscount Verplaetse is a Belgian economist and former Governor of the National Bank of Belgium from 1989 until 1999. He was one of the architects of the devaluation of Belgian Frank in 1982 when he worked at the cabinet of Wilfried Martens in the government Martens V...
Governor of the NBB after which she became Secretary-General of the Bank from 1 November 1996 until 26 February 1999. On 1 March 1999 she became Vice-Governor of the NBB which she would remain until 3 August 2003. On 4 August 2003, she became Honorary Vice-Governor of the NBB. In 2003 she was Belgium's candidate for a place on the board of the European Central Bank
European Central Bank
The European Central Bank is the institution of the European Union that administers the monetary policy of the 17 EU Eurozone member states. It is thus one of the world's most important central banks. The bank was established by the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1998, and is headquartered in Frankfurt,...
, but was not selected.
De Wachter was the author of an influential 2007 report into the state of the Belgian economy, of which she is an advocate of liberalisation, especially in the ICT
Information and communication technologies
Information and communications technology or information and communication technology, usually abbreviated as ICT, is often used as an extended synonym for information technology , but is usually a more general term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of...
sector.
Awards
- 1970: Stichting Socutera Prize
- 1975: E. Casteleyn and Cl. Jussiant Prize awarded by the Belgian Chamber of Commerce
- 1977: Fellowship of the Belgian American Educational Foundation
- 1979: Hillman Award of the University of Chicago
- 1981: Stichting Randstad Prize
- 2002: Alumnus of the Year Award UFSIA 2002 on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of UFSIA