Andrus Ansip

Andrus Ansip (; born 1 October 1956) is an Estonian politician, a member of the European Parliament, the former European Commissioner for Digital Single Market and Vice President of the European Commission, in office from 2014 until 2019. Previously, he was Prime Minister of Estonia from 2005 to 2014 and chairman of the liberal Estonian Reform Party from 2004 to 2014. Before his entry into politics Ansip trained as a chemist, before working in banking and business. He entered Parliament in 2004, quickly becoming Minister of Economic Affairs, and subsequently Prime Minister in April 2005. On 1 November 2014, he was appointed to the European Commission. Early life and business career Born in Tartu, Ansip graduated from the University of Tartu with a degree in Chemistry in 1979. He worked as an engineer at the university from 1979 to 1983 (with a two-year break for mandatory military service). He was an instructor in the Industry Department and Head of the Organisational Department of the Tartu District Committee of the Soviet Union Communist Party Estonian branch Estonian Communist Party from 1986 to 1988. Ansip has been involved in several banking and investment ventures. He has served as a Member of the Board of Directors of the People's Bank of Tartu, Chairman of the Board of Livonia Privatisation IF, and CEO of Investment Fund Broker Ltd. He also has served as Chairman of the board for Radio Tartu. From 1989 to 1993 Andrus Ansip also managed a Tartu branch of AS Estkompexim.