In this conversation of the “World We Want” podcast series, RELX’s Global Head of Corporate Responsibility, Dr Márcia Balisciano, talks to Dr. Heinz Fischer about leadership.
The Ban Ki-Moon Centre for Global Citizens’ co-chairman Heinz Fischer was President of Austria from 2004 to 2016. In April 2010, Dr. Fischer was re-elected as President, winning a second six-year term in office with almost 79% of the votes. From 1963 to 1975 Heinz Fischer was Secretary, from 1975 to 1983 Executive Chairman of the Social Democratic Party in the Austrian Parliament, and from 1971 to 2004 a member of the Austrian National Assembly. Dr. Fischer served as Minister of Science of the Republic of Austria from 1983 to 1987 and as President of the National Council of Austria from 1990 to 2002. Between 1992 and 2004 Heinz Fischer was also Deputy Chairman of the Party of European Social Democrats (PES). From 1995 to 2002 he was President of the National Fund of Austria for the Victims of National Socialism. Apart from being a politician, Fischer also pursued an academic career and became a professor of Political Science at the University of Innsbruck.
After completing two terms as head of state Dr. Fischer was proclaimed Chairman of the Council for the Commemorative Year 2018 by the Federal Government of Austria. Furthermore, in June 2016 Heinz Fischer was named president of the Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres. Since September 2016 he occupies the position as president of the Austrian Society for Chinese Studies and as of January 2017, he is president of the Board of the Institute for Human Sciences.
We are grateful to all our fascinating podcast guests for taking their time to share their thoughts and hopes with us. Inevitably, given remote working, there may be occasional sound interference – which does not detract from our speakers’ insights.
