Giovanni Battista Pioda II

Giovanni Battista Pioda II colloquially also Giovan Battista Pioda and Jean Baptiste Pioda was a Swiss diplomat who served Minister of Switzerland to Italy from 1902 to 1914 succeeding Gaston Carlin. Previously he served as Minister of Switzerland to the United States in Washington, D.C. between 1894 and 1902 succeeding Alfred de Claparède. He was among the first professional diplomats of Switzerland.

Early life and education

Pioda was born 24 April 1850 in Lugano, Switzerland, to Giovanni Battista Pioda Sr., a state attorney, diplomat and member of the Federal Council (Switzerland), and Anna Pioda. His brothers include Carlo Eugenio Pioda and Gioachimo Pioda. He studied law in Switzerland and Italy completing a Licentiate degree in Rome in 1880.