Wolfgang Schmidt

Wolfgang Schmidt is one of Germany’s most experienced political strategists, having served as Federal Minister for Special Tasks, Head of the Federal Chancellery and Commissioner for the Intelligence Services from 2021 to 2025, where he coordinated the work of the federal government and its three-party coalition as well as overseeing Germany's intelligence community.

Previously, Wolfgang was State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Finance and served in the city-state of Hamburg as Plenipotentiary to the Federation, the European Union and for Foreign Affairs.

Wolfgang’s deep understanding of the intersection between politics, economics and geopolitical strategy reflects more than two decades at the centre of German and European decision‑making, shaping policy at the highest levels.

He is a Council Member of the European Council on Foreign Relations, and serves on the boards of the Baden-Baden Entrepreneur Talks and the Institute for European Politics. Until August 2025, he chaired the Board of Trustees and was a member of the Foundation Council of the Munich Security Conference (MSC).