Born in 1947, Thomas Matussek studied law and history in Bonn and Paris, after completing his two-year military service. In 1975, he joined Germany’s Foreign Service. After initial assignments in Bonn and London, he worked at Germany’s Federal Chancellery under Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, with responsibility for European Affairs. Following further assignments in New Delhi (Press Office) and Lisbon (Economic Affairs), he returned to Bonn. He was Head of the Minister’s Office for Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher from 1991 to 1992 and subsequently Chief of Staff for Foreign Minister Dr Klaus Kinkel. From 1994 to 1999, he was the Minister and Deputy Ambassador in Washington, D.C. From 1999 to 2002 he was Director General of Political Affairs at the Federal Foreign Office, with responsibilities for the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Latin America. In 2001, he organised the Petersberg Conference (Bonn Agreement), which led to the founding of the new State of Afghanistan. From 2002 to 2006, he was Germany’s Ambassador in London and represented Germany as its Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York City from 2006 to 2009. From 2009 to 2011, he was Germany’s Ambassador to India in New Delhi, before he joined Deutsche Bank in November 2011. Since 2013 Thomas Matussek is Managing Director of the Alfred Herrhausen Society.