Executive chairman and director of Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Berlin. Joined SWP in 1992 and headed the Research Group "Middle East and Africa" for several years. Previous teaching positions at the universities of Duisburg, Münster and Munich, currently professor at Humboldt University Berlin and Free University of Berlin. Serves on various national and international bodies such as the Advisory Research Council of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) (as chairman), the International Advisory Council of the Shanghai Institute for International Studies (SIIS), the Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), and the TTIP Advisory Council of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.