Jakob Kellenberger

Jakob Kellenberger is the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

"Jakob Kellenberger was born in 1944 and holds a PH.D. from the University of Zurich. He entered the Swiss diplomatic service in 1974 and held various posts in the Swiss embassies in Madrid, Brussels (European Communities) and London. From 1984 to 1992 he headed the Integration Office (in charge of relations with the European Communities and the European Free Trade Association) in Bern, as Minister from 1984 and as Ambassador from 1988. From 1992 to 1999 he was State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Political Director, in which capacity he acted as coordinator and chief negotiator for the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the European Union (1994 to 1998). He has been president of the ICRC since 2000. Jakob Kellenberger also holds a doctorate honoris causa from the University of Basel."