Pope Leo XIV has named 36‑year‑old Gisela Bergmann of Liechtenstein to the Vatican's Council for the Economy as one of eight new outside experts. Bergmann, CEO of Industrie‑und Finanzkontor, brings international wealth‑management experience and academic credentials from ETH Zurich and the University of Liechtenstein. Observers say the move fits the pope's strategy of recruiting external professionals to strengthen financial oversight and transparency.
Pope Leo XIV Appoints 36-Year-Old Liechtenstein Princess and Wealth Manager to Vatican Economic Council
(Europa Press via Getty Images)
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Gisela Bergmann, a 36‑year‑old member of Liechtenstein's princely family and an experienced wealth manager, as one of eight new members of the Vatican's Council for the Economy.
Why This Matters
The Council for the Economy oversees the Holy See's finances and plays a central role in approving the Vatican's annual budget. Bergmann's appointment is part of a broader effort by the pope to bring outside professionals and technical expertise into the Vatican's financial governance, continuing reforms aimed at greater transparency and stronger oversight.
Professional Background
Bergmann currently serves as CEO of Industrie- und Finanzkontor, the firm that manages and preserves the Liechtenstein princely family's wealth. Her international career has included positions in Canada, Singapore, Switzerland and the United Kingdom; while based in London she was a vice president at investment bank Hannam & Partners. She joined the board of Industrie- und Finanzkontor in 2020 and was named CEO in 2022.
“We look at wealth and family from a holistic perspective, always thinking in terms of generations,”
Education and Personal Details
Born on June 26, 1990, in Feldkirch, Austria, Bergmann earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Environmental Engineering from ETH Zurich and later completed specialized studies in fiduciary and wealth management at the University of Liechtenstein. A member of Liechtenstein's princely family, she is not close to the front of the line of succession and has mostly developed a private, international career.
Reactions and Context
Observers who follow Vatican affairs have welcomed the pope’s move to recruit external specialists. Ed Condon, editor of The Pillar, said the pope "is making the right call by bringing outsiders onto the Council, and wealth managers are exactly the kind of people you would expect to see." The appointments are widely seen as a continuation of reforms begun under previous pontificates to address past criticisms about financial transparency and governance.
Note: This appointment places a technically qualified professional with international experience into a body responsible for some of the church's most sensitive financial decisions, signaling a deliberate emphasis on professionalization and oversight.
Pope Leo XIV has named Gisela Bergmann as one of eight new members of the Vatican's Council for the Economy. (@ Getty Images)
Prince Michael of Liechtenstein, father of Gisela Bergmann, is a member of Liechtenstein's princely family. His daughter has been appointed to the Vatican's Council for the Economy by Pope Leo XIV. (@ South China Morning Post via Get)
Pope Leo XIV's latest appointments bring new outside expertise to the Vatican's financial administration. (@ Getty Images)
Pope Leo XIV has turned to international financial expertise as part of his latest appointments to the Vatican's economic council. (@ Getty Images)
Pope Leo XIV tells priests to stop using AI for sermons: 'The brain needs to be used' (@ AFP via Getty Images)
Princess Gisela Bergmann is the daughter of Prince Michael of Liechtenstein and currently leads Industrie und Finanzkontor Etablissement. (@ exclusiv.li)
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