Andrus Ansip (; born 1 October 1956) is an Estonian politician, a member of the European Parliament, the former European Commissioner for Digital Single Market and Vice President of the European Commission, in office from 2014 until 2019. Previously, he was Prime Minister of Estonia from 2005 to 2014 and chairman of the liberal Estonian Reform Party () from 2004 to 2014. Before his entry into politics Ansip trained as a chemist, before working in banking and business. He entered Parliament in 2004, quickly becoming Minister of Economic Affairs, and subsequently Prime Minister in April 2005. On 1 November 2014, he was appointed to the European Commission. Early life and business career Born in Tartu, Ansip graduated from the University of Tartu with a degree in Chemistry in 1979. He worked as an engineer at the university from 1979 to 1983 (with a two-year break for mandatory military service). He was an instructor in the Industry Department and Head of the Organisational Department of the Tartu District Committee of the Soviet Union Communist Party Estonian branch Estonian Communist Party from 1986 to 1988. Ansip has been involved in several banking and investment ventures. He has served as a Member of the Board of Directors of the People's Bank of Tartu (), Chairman of the Board of Livonia Privatisation IF, and CEO of Investment Fund Broker Ltd (). He also has served as Chairman of the board for Radio Tartu. From 1989 to 1993 Andrus Ansip also managed a Tartu branch of AS Estkompexim. Political career Mayor of Tartu In 1998, Ansip was elected as Mayor of Tartu as a candidate of the centrist-right Reformierakond (Reform Party), a position which he held until 2004, to great popular acclaim and very high ratings in the opinion polls. He had run in previous elections for the Riigikogu, the Estonian Parliament, but had always given up his seat in order to remain Mayor. He was succeeded by fellow Reform Party member Laine Jänes. Chairman of Reform Party and Minister of Economics On 21 November 2004, Ansip became Chairman of Estonian Reform Party because the party's founder and hitherto chairman, former Prime Minister Siim Kallas, had become EU Commissioner and vice president and thus had to move to Brussels. It was obvious that Ansip would have to move to Tallinn, and a chance opened up when the Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications in the