Thomas Geisel

Thomas Geisel (born October 26, 1963 in Ellwangen) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party who served as mayor of Düsseldorf, the capital of Northrhine-Westphalia, from 2014 till 2020.

Thomas Geisel

Education and early career

Trained as a lawyer, Geisel worked at Enron in London from 1998 until 2000 and at Ruhrgas from 2000 until 2013. He received a MPA from Harvard Kennedy School and a MA from Georgetown University.[1]

Political career

Geisel joined the SPD as a member in 1983.

In a runoff election, Geisel defeated the previous Christian Democratic mayor Dirk Elbers by gaining 59.2% of the votes.[2] During his time in office, Düsseldorf sold its stake in utility RWE for 155.4 million euros ($171.28 million) in 2019.[3]

Thomas Geisel lost the office as mayor in the second round of the Düsseldorf communal election on September 27, 2020, He got 44,0 % of the votes, his opponent Stephan Keller reached 56,0 %.[4]

Other activities

Corporate boards
  • Innogy, Member of the Retail International Business Council (since 2016)
  • Düsseldorf Airport, Ex-Officio Chairman of the Supervisory Board (since 2014)
  • Düsseldorf Marketing & Tourismus, Ex-Officio Chairman of the Supervisory Board (since 2014)
  • Industrieterrains Düsseldorf-Reisholz AG, Ex-Officio Chairman of the Supervisory Board (since 2014)
  • Messe Düsseldorf, Ex-Officio Chairman of the Supervisory Board (since 2014)
  • Rheinbahn, Ex-Officio Chairman of the Supervisory Board (since 2014)
  • Stadtwerke Düsseldorf, Ex-Officio Member of the Supervisory Board (since 2014)
  • SWD Städtische Wohnungsbau-GmbH & Co. KG, Ex-Officio Chairman of the Supervisory Board (since 2014)

Non-profit organizations

Controversy

In late 2017, Geisel came under intense international criticism for canceling an exhibition about the Jewish art dealer Max Stern, who was forced to liquidate his gallery in Düsseldorf after the Nazis took power before World War II.[8] At the time, he cited “demands for information and restitution in German museums in connection with the Galerie Max Stern.” Following protests from the Jewish community in Düsseldorf, the World Jewish Congress, the partner museums in Israel and Canada, and the German government, Geisel later backtracked on his last-minute cancellation.[9]

Personal life

Geisel is married and has five daughters. The family lives in Düsseldorf-Pempelfort.

References
  1. http://globalcities.georgetown.edu/events/events-archive/a-conversation-with-mayor-geisel-of-d%C3%BCsseldorf
  2. "Germany's CDU loses mayoralties to SPD". Deutsche Welle. June 15, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  3. Emma Thomasson (November 27, 2019), German city Duesseldorf sells stake in RWE Reuters.
  4. SPD verliert Düsseldorfer Rathaus an CDU, Süddeutsche Zeitung, September 27, 2020.
  5. Board of Trustees Düsseldorf Festival.
  6. Board of Trustees Museum Kunstpalast.
  7. Board of Trustees ZERO Foundation.
  8. Catherine Hickley (December 2, 2017), Why Did Düsseldorf Cancel an Art Show Honoring a Victim of the Nazis? New York Times.
  9. Catherine Hickley (December 21, 2017), In Reversal, Düsseldorf Will Hold Exhibition About Jewish Dealer New York Times.
  • Official Homepage
  • Düsseldorfer OB Elbers abgestraft - Geisel gewinnt
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