Ilmārs Rimšēvičs
Ilmārs Rimšēvičs | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 30, 1965 Latvia |
| Occupation | Economist |
| Years active | 1992–2019 |
| Known for | Governor of the Bank of Latvia (2001–2019), member of the European Central Bank's Governing Council |
Ilmārs Rimšēvičs (born 30 April 1965) is a Latvian economist who held the position of governor at the Bank of Latvia from 2001 until 2019. During his tenure, he also participated as a member of the European Central Bank's Governing Council.
Education
Rimšēvičs completed his studies in engineering economics at Riga Technical University in 1990. He subsequently obtained an MBA from Clarkson University in New York in 1992. In that same year, he was appointed as deputy governor and chairman of the board at the Bank of Latvia.
Controversies
On 18 February 2018, Latvia's Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) detained Rimšēvičs during coordinated searches conducted at his residence and the Bank of Latvia's premises. The following day, businessman Andris Kreislers posted bail for his release. Authorities formally accused him of bribery. Audio recordings from 2013 allegedly reveal Rimšēvičs engaged in discussions with Maris Martinsons concerning a bribe connected to shareholders of Trasta komercbanka (TKB). It is claimed that this payment enabled Rimšēvičs to acquire real estate in Jurmala through MM Investments, a company owned by Martinsons' son. The legal proceedings are ongoing.
In May 2018, Latvian intelligence services withdrew Rimšēvičs' government security clearances due to apprehensions about his frequent visits to Russia.
Upon concluding his third term in 2019, Mārtiņš Kazāks succeeded him as governor.