Kefferpütz comes to the position with an impressive background of over 15 years in think tanks, government institutions, and foundations. His expertise centres on the role of the EU in a rapidly shifting world order and Europe’s green industrial transformation.
Prior to joining Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Kefferpütz served as a senior analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), where he worked on China’s increasing influence in Europe. He frequently shared his insights before the European Parliament and in German and international media outlets.
His portfolio also includes a tenure from 2017 to 2021 at the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg as a political advisor, speechwriter, and Deputy Head of Unit for Strategy and Policy. He offered key advice to the state’s Minister-President on international and European affairs, as well as industrial policy, and was a vital member of the State Ministry’s Task Force on Covid-19.
Kefferpütz’s journey in the political sphere began in Brussels, where he spent a decade including four years as chief of staff to MEP Reinhard Bütikofer. He cut his teeth in research positions at the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung offices in Brussels, Moscow, and Warsaw.
A recognized academic, Kefferpütz has held fellowships at the Center for European Policy Studies (CEPS) and Stiftung Neue Verantwortung (SNV), and continues to serve as a Senior Non-Resident Fellow at the Atlantic Council. He boasts an MPhil in Russian and East European Studies from the University of Oxford and a BA in International Affairs from the American University in Paris. Fluent in German, Dutch, and English, he also has command of French and Russian, and a foundational understanding of Mandarin.
