SWITZERLAND – The head of the Swiss Federal Office for Social Security (BSV), Otto Piller, has retired.

Piller had been head of the Bundesamtes fuer Sozialversicherung since January 1997. His tenure saw numerous amendments to the health insurance system, the social security fund AHV, disability insurance and occupational pensions.

Piller presided over a turbulent period in Switzerland’s second pillar retirement system, facing the challenge prompted by Swissair’s proposal to take money out of its occupational scheme, and also the lowering of the minimum guaranteed interest rate, which was seen by many as bending to the needs of the insurers.

A BSV spokesman confirmed that a replacement for Piller would be named in the next two weeks.