Guido Westerwelle, 52, former German foreign minister, has been appointed to the Bertelsmann Stiftung's Board of Trustees, the Gütersloh-based foundation's supervisory and oversight body. His term of office begins January 1, 2015, and runs until the end of 2017. "We are very fortunate that such an internationally renowned public figure has chosen to join our Board of Trustees," said Werner J. Bauer, the board's chairman. "The foundation's supervisory body will greatly benefit from his considerable political and diplomatic expertise."
Westerwelle was secretary general of Germany's Free Democratic Party (FDP) from 1994 to 2001, and the party's chairman from 2001 to 2011. He also served as chairman of the FDP’s parliamentary group from 2006 to 2009. From October 2009 to December 2013 he was German foreign minister in the second cabinet of Chancellor Angela Merkel. He is the founder of the Westerwelle Foundation for International Understanding.
About the Bertelsmann Stiftung:
The Bertelsmann Stiftung is dedicated to serving the common good. It executes projects in the areas of education, business and social affairs, health, and international relations, and strives to promote peaceful coexistence among the world's diverse cultures. Through the example of its civic engagement, it wants to encourage others to support their own communities as well. Founded in 1977 as a registered charity, the Bertelsmann Stiftung is majority shareholder of Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA. Structured as a private operating foundation, it is politically nonpartisan and works independently of Bertelsmann's corporate operations.