Jaan Manitski

Jaan Manitski ( born March 7, 1942 in Viinistu, then Kõnnu community, now the town Kuusalu, Harju County / Estonia) is an Estonian businessman, politician and one of the most important patrons of the arts in Estonia. It was in 1992 Foreign Minister of the Republic of Estonia.

Sweden

Shortly after birth, the parents succeeded by Jaan Manitski 1943, fleeing from the advancing Red Army in World War II into exile in Sweden.

Jaan Manitski in 1968 completed his studies at the Graduate School of Gothenburg. From 1968 to 1976 he worked at the IBM Group, before he took over from 1976 to 1978 an activity at Swedbank in Stockholm. From 1978 to 1988 he was the founder and director of the companies Infina AB and Independent. Among other manager was the band ABBA. From 1989 to 1991 he was a consultant for the European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management in Brussels, before he moved to his native Estonia.

Politician

From April to October 1992 Foreign Minister was the non-party Jaan Manitski shortly after regaining of Estonian independence of the Republic of Estonia. He was particularly in the early 1990s one of the confidants of the former President Lennart Meri.

Businessman

From 1992 to 1995 Jaan Manitski was Chairman of the Estonian Privatisation Agency. Since 1995 he has been involved as an entrepreneur in several companies, including as a board member and co-owner of the Estonian press group Eesti Päevaleht AS.

Patron

Jaan Manitski is married and has six children. In his voluntary work he has devoted himself especially his hometown Viinistu the Gulf of Finland. He is the founder of the local art museum with an impressive collection of Estonian art. The former fish factory in the village was transformed into a cultural center of Manitski with the visual arts, theater stage, concert hall, restaurant and hotel.