Our Founders

The Koetser family started their first art gallery in the Spiegelgracht before the first World War. Betty and David Koetser were well known in Zurich having donated a magnificent collection of Dutch, Flemish and Italian Old Masters to the Kunsthaus Zurich in 1986 and indeed David was considered one of the world’s foremost experts in his field.

Following David’s death, Betty Koetser set up the Brain Research Foundation in early 1993 with the encouragement of both her and David’s family and of Volker Henn, who had treated David who suffered from Parkinsons Disease.

Sadly, just prior to the first Memorial Lecture, Betty herself died and therefore didn’t see her plans come to fruition. It was therefore agreed that David’s nephew, also David Koetser who worked with his uncle in Zurich, and Betty’s niece, Jenny Waters who is retired and lives in England, would be the family representatives on the board of trustees. They are both committed to the cause and attend all board meetings, which are held in Zurich twice yearly.