Ansgar Gessner is a strategy and innovation expert with more than 10 years of experience in both the for-profit and non-profit sector. Before becoming deputy director of external relations, he launched and directed the Mercator European Dialogue project from GMF’s Berlin office. His areas of expertise and interest are innovation, creative and foresight techniques, strategic development and strategic partnerships. Before joining GMF, Gessner worked as a senior manager for programs and strategy with the Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft – the international Forum of Deutsche Bank. He was responsible for the development of their national and international programs, external communications, and strategy. Ansgar's past professional experience includes working as an executive team member of Triad Projektgesellschaft mbH, as the project coordinator of the largest international summer university program in Germany (FUBiS), and as the project manager of an EU Commission funded research network project (TNP3). Gessner studied American studies, modern history, and law at Freie Universität Berlin and the University of Washington Seattle.