Thomas W. Bechtler

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thomas Walter Bechtler (born July 26, 1949 in Zurich ; legal resident in St. Gallen ) is a Swiss entrepreneur and art collector.

Life

Bechtler studied law at the University of Zurich and later at the University of Geneva and Harvard University .

Since 1982 he has been managing the family business Hesta AG, which he and his brother Ruedi Bechtler control as a delegate of the board of directors . The company was mainly active in the capital goods sector, in the areas of air conditioning and electronic equipment. In the last few years he has fundamentally transformed the company and finally geared it towards the interests of the large family. Today Hesta AG is a real estate company and an investment fund. Bechtler holds other board memberships at several large Swiss industrial companies.

Bechtler is married to Cristina Bechtler, has seven children and lives in Küsnacht .

Social and cultural activities

Together with his brother, Bechtler runs the "Walter Bechtler Foundation", which places works of contemporary art in public spaces or museums. As an active and committed collector in the field of contemporary art, he is also dedicated to his own collection.

From 1987 to 2002 he was President of the Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft, the Kunsthaus Zürich . During his presidency, the renovation of the Kunsthaus was initiated, the administration of the Kunsthaus moved to the Villa Tobler and the concept for the extension building at the Pfauen was launched. Thomas Bechtler is still committed to the benefit of the Kunsthaus Zürich.

For many years, Thomas Bechtler has dealt with issues of development policy, environmental policy and human rights. From 1987 to 1999 he was President of Swisscontact , one of the largest Swiss development aid organizations. Thomas Bechtler has been chairman of the Zurich committee of the human rights organization Human Rights Watch since 2005 and is continuously developing this Zurich committee.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The Invisible Entrepreneur. Neue Zürcher Zeitung , May 15, 2005.
personal data
SURNAME Bechtler, Thomas W.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Bechtler, Thomas Walter
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss entrepreneur and art collector
DATE OF BIRTH July 26, 1949
PLACE OF BIRTH Zurich