Press releases, 08.11.2017

On 8 November 2017, Markus René Seiler was appointed as the next general secretary of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) on the recommendation of the head of the department, Ignazio Cassis. Mr Seiler, who is currently the head of the Federal Intelligence Service, will take up his new position on 1 December.

Markus Seiler
Markus Seiler © Keystone

Mr Seiler is a native of Ermatingen in the canton of Thurgau. He is 49 years old and is married with four children.  He holds a PhD in political science from the University of St Gallen and continued his studies, mainly in the field of security and management, in the United State, France and Singapore. Mr Seiler entered the civil service in 1997 where he began working as secretary to then Federal Councillor Kaspar Villiger at the general secretariat of the Federal Department of Finance. In 2002, he transferred to the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) which was led by Federal Councillor Samuel Schmid at that time. From 2005 to 2010, Mr Seiler held the post of DDPS secretary general before he was appointed head of the Federal Intelligence Service.

Mr Seiler will succeed Benno Bättig who will continue to work for the FDFA. The Federal Council would like to thank Mr Bättig for his engagement as secretary general of the FDFA.


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Last update 19.07.2023

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