- Born 1958, living in Berlin
- Agricultural economist
- Member of the Board of Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeit, Bonn
- Fellow at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Department Climate Economics and Policy/MCC Berlin
- Member of the Supervisory Board der AGORA Think Tanks, Berlin
- Member of the Sustainability Advisory Council, Novo Nordisk, Copenhagen
- Until early 2021, Director, Directorate-General Climate Action, European Commission, Brussels, responsible for climate strategy, governance, climate regulation in sectors outside emissions trading, and climate finance within the EU (e.g. Innovation Fund)
- Until 2016, lead negotiator for the European Union in international climate negotiations, i.a. also co-chair of the Ad-hoc Working Group on the Pariser agreement in 2013/2014.
- Before various assignments on economic co-operation in Bosnia Hercegovina, Zimbabwe and Ghana.