Per Wimmer

Biography:

Per Wimmer is expected to be the first Dane in space. He is signed up for three trips to space. Having completed almost all of his space training, he is eagerly awaiting the completion of the rocket vehicle test programs after which he will launch into space. His training has included weightlessness or Zero-G training, flying Russian MIG-fighter jets and both Russian and American centrifuges. He has successfully completed a full space flight launch and re-entry profile in the centrifuge.

On Oct 6, 2008, Per Wimmer wrote world history, together with Ralph Mitchell, by successful completing the first tandem sky dive over the highest point on Earth, Mount Everest. After six days of trekking, Per & Ralph flew in a Portus Pilatus airplane to an altitude of 29.500 feet (ca 9 Km), just above the peak of Mount Everest and jumped out in minus 50 degrees C and free fell for one minute before opening the parachute and landed at the Drop Zone at 12.350 feet (ca. 4 Km). This adventure, "Everest from the top," has never been done before and pushing the boundaries, being a pioneer is, indeed, part of what drives him..

In brief, Per Wimmer is a global financier, an entrepreneur, an adventurer, a pioneer and a philanthropist - or, as a commentator has argued, a true "Indiana Jones meets 007 James Bond."   

Back in London, Per owns and runs his own investment bank, Wimmer Financial  which he founded on the 50th anniversary of Sputnik day, Oct 4, 2007. His investment bank specializes in global corporate finance, shares trading, real estate and oil services.

Prior to founding his own investment bank, Per Wimmer was advising on equities at MF Global/Man Securities which used to be part of the USD 60 bn asset manager The MAN Group before the spin-out. Before, Per Wimmer worked at Collins Stewart in a similar capacity. From 1998 to 2002 he worked in New York and London for Goldman Sachs & Co. leaving the company as Executive Director for Institutional Sales of European Equity products advising on investments to Scandinavian-based financial institutions.

In 1998, he graduated from Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, as an MPA graduate with concentrations in business, finance and international relations whilst receiving the Don K. Price Award for academic excellence, community contributions and potential leadership. During his two years at Harvard, he became the co-founder and first president of the Harvard Scandinavian Society, promoting Scandinavian culture and facilitating networking between alumni, prospective and current students. He served as a student member of the Harvard MPA Admissions Committee; participated in "Project Outreach" - an HBS volunteer project to assist the elderly and disadvantaged in the Boston area and was a winning team member in the 1998 Annual Graduate School Debate Competition, organized by the Leadership and Ethics Forum, moderated by Senator Alan Simpson. Before graduating, he was selected as the only non-US citizen for the Presidential Management Intern Program destined to work for the Bill Clinton administration.

During 1996-97 Per Wimmer was an Associate management consultant at McKinsey & Co. with a particular focus in the media sector.

Until the end of the Jacques Delors administration in early 1996, Per Wimmer worked in the cabinet of the Vice-President of the European Union, Mr. Henning Christophersen, in a junior capacity. The VP responsibilities included the Monetary Union and the EU budget.

Prior to Brussels, Per Wimmer graduated with distinction and top six of his class at the College of Europe, Bruges, Belgium, earning him the M.A. degree in European political science whilst he co-produced the Yearbook and delivered the student speech at graduation. He also publised a book, in French, on the future of Europe ("Vers une Europe a la carte: Analyse des derogations apres Maastricht, PIE, 1995).

Per Wimmer also interned at the United Nations in Geneva in 1994.

The initial educational background was Law. Graduating with distinction from the LL.M. program at the University of London (1991-92) and receiving the B.A. and M.A. degrees in Law from the University of Copenhagen (1988-91, 1992-93) whilst serving as student member of the Governing Board of the Law Faculty and, in 1993, Per Wimmer was awarded the Academic Silver Medal, presented by HM Queen Margaret II of Denmark, for "an outstanding legal and political analysis of the protection of fundamental rights in the European Union. "

Prior to university, Per Wimmer passed the French Baccalaureat with philosophy and French litterature concentrations in one year in the context of a 48% failure rate among the native French-speaking peer group (1988). The year before, he graduated top three of his mathematics-physics section and was awarded a financial prize at graduation at Slagelse Gymnasium. During many inspirational lectures by Mr. Jan Malmmose Nielsen, his physics teacher, the interest for space crystallized. Alhough strong, the interest in space remained academic until 2000 when space tourism became a realistic possibility at which point Per Wimmer got involved. He bought the ticket from Plenge & Co and is now anticipated to be one of the first Danish citizens ever to enter space (space being defined as an altitude of min. 50 miles outside the surface of the Earth).

Fluent languages spoken include French, English and Danish with some knowledge of Spanish and German. Article published in German: " Kein Typisch Amerikanischer Prasident, " Europaische Zeitung, Feb. 16, 1994, following Per Wimmer's attendance at Bill Clinton's first speech on European ground as American president. Sports include scuba diving, tennis, squash, badminton and handball.