- Fernand Hautain
Fernand Hautain (1858–1942) was a Belgian businessman and governor of the
National Bank of Belgium (NBB) from 1923 until 1926.Career
He started his career at an early age, and combined working with evening classes and self-tuition. He started working for the NBB at the age of 19, as a bank clerk in the bank's branch in his home town of
Nivelles and three years went on to work as a clerk at the Brussels head office. In 1901, Fernand Hautain was appointed an agent inPhilippeville and then inLa Louvière , where in 1907 he became the manager of the discount office. As a businessman, he became commissioner for a several industrial limited companies. WhenWorld War I broke out, he was appointed as a director of the Bank and after the war, in 1923, he succeededLeon Van der Rest as governor of the NBB.During his term as governor, the Belgian government tried to deal with the postware monetary crisis and to stabilise the
belgian franc . In 1926,Emile Francqui , as minister Minister without Portfolio was the architect of the reform plan which would solve the monetary crisis. The bad relationship between Emile Francqui and Fernand Hautain would lead to the dismissal of Fernand Hautain from office. He was succeeded byLouis Franck .After his dismissal, Hautain returned to the business world, and he remained deputy administrator of the "Société Nationale de Crédit à l'Industrie", which he had helped to establish in 1919.
ource
* P. Kauch, "Fernand Hautain, neuvième Gouverneur de la Banque Nationale de Belgique" (1868-1942), Bruxelles, BNB, 1960
* [http://www.nbb.be/pub/01_00_00_00_00/01_02_00_00_00/01_02_02_00_00/01_02_02_09_00.htm?l=en&t=bu Fernand Hautain]
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