Ricardo Hepp

Ricardo Gustavo Hepp Dubiau (Santiago, 2 September 1917 – Santiago, 1 June 2001) was a Chilean agronomist and politician of German descent who served as Minister of Agriculture during the second administration of President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo from 1954 to 1955.

Early life

Hepp was born in Santiago, Chile, on 2 September 1917, the son of Carlos Hepp Krefft, of German descent, and María Dubiau Lassabe, of French descent. He attended the Deutsche Schule Santiago before studying at the University of Chile, graduating as an agronomist in 1940 with a thesis entitled Explotaciones agrícolas.

He married Edith Kuschel Moll, with whom he had four children.

Political career

Hepp began his career in the public sector, joining the Ministry of Agriculture in 1939 during the administration of President Pedro Aguirre Cerda. He held several technical positions within the ministry between 1939 and 1943, primarily in its genetics and crop-production departments. From 1944 to 1953, he worked in the private sector as inspector-general of the Consorcio de Administración Agrícola S.A. and also contributed to agricultural publications and professional organisations.

On 20 November 1954, during the second administration of President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, Hepp was appointed Minister of Agriculture, serving until 6 January 1955.

He returned to public service during the military regime. In 1976, he was appointed national director of the Instituto de Desarrollo Agropecuario (INDAP), serving until 1982. In 1986, he became national director of the Servicio Nacional de Capacitación y Empleo (SENCE), a position he held until March 1990.

Hepp died in Santiago on 1 June 2001, aged 83.