Studied Economics, universities of Aix-en-Provence and Bonn; 1997, Doctorate, University of Bonn. 1997-99, with the IMF in Washington, DC. 1999-2003, Secretary-General, German Council of Economic Experts. 2003, joined Deutsche Bundesbank as Head of the Monetary Policy and Analysis Division; 2006, Federal Chancellor's Office, acting as Economic Adviser to Chancellor Angela Merkel; concurrently, German Sherpa for the G8 and G20 Summits. Since May 2011, President of the Deutsche Bundesbank; also Member of the Governing Council of the ECB. Member of the steering committees of the ESRB and the FSB.