Walter Fust appointed to ETH Board of Honour
At this year's ETH Day on 16 November 2024, ETH President Joël Mesot appointed alumnus Walter Fust to the Honorary Board of ETH Zurich. Fust studied mechanical engineering at ETH and founded the electrical retail company Dipl. Ing. Fust AG.
In his laudatory speech, Mesot recognized that Fust has not only led one of Switzerland's most important companies to success, but is also a role model who motivates students and supports them with his philanthropic commitment. Through initiatives such as the ETH Foundation's Pioneer Fellowship Program and the Student Project House, Walter Fust promotes entrepreneurial thinking and a spirit of innovation. Fust is also a co-founder of Inspire, a technology transfer center established on the initiative of ETH Zurich and Swiss industry.
Walter Fust graduated in mechanical engineering from ETH Zurich in 1964. In 1966 he founded Dipl. Ing. Fust AG, a large electrical engineering company, which he sold to the Coop Group in 2007. From the late 1980s, he was for many years the majority shareholder and later Chairman of the Board of Directors of the mechanical engineering company Starrag (now StarragTornos).
With the title of Honorary Councillor, ETH Zurich honors personalities who have either promoted important scientific work or fields of work at ETH or supported the university as a whole. Besides the award of an honorary doctorate, election to the Honorary Council is the highest honor that ETH Zurich can bestow. ETH Rector Günther Dissertori presented the certificate as part of the celebrations for the 169th ETH Day on 16 November 2024.