Matthieu Leimgruber

Professor Matthieu Leimgruber holds the Chair of Modern History and Swiss History at the University of Zurich's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. His research focuses on 20th-century social and economic history, particularly the history of capitalism, wealth inequality, and Swiss economic institutions. He coordinates the Master's program in Economic History and collaborates with the Swiss Society for Economic and Social History on Historical Statistics of Switzerland Online (HSSO).

His primary research interests include:

• Social and economic history of 20th-century Switzerland
• Global history of capitalism and international economic organizations
• Wealth concentration and inequality studies
• History of social security systems and welfare state development
• Analysis of economic elites and business associations

Recent publications reveal a strong focus on top wealth dynamics in Zurich, OECD historical transformations, and the intersection of business interests with welfare state development. His work demonstrates sophisticated methodological approaches combining quantitative historical analysis with institutional and political economy perspectives.

Leimgruber leads multiple research projects funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, including investigations into:

• The Economics of Residential Care in Switzerland since 1940
• Local power structures and transnational connections of Swiss elites (1890-2020)
• Contextualization of the Emil Bührle art collection
• History of the International Chamber of Commerce

He directs the 'Social Security in the Classroom' project, creating multilingual teaching resources for secondary education that explore Swiss social security history through primary sources and student research projects.