Stefan Brantschen has been Deputy Head of Department at SECO since 2023. He oversees the political and strategic work in the area of Economic Development and Cooperation. Prior to this position, he worked as a Policy Advisor for four years, where he was involved in the development of Switzerland’s strategy for International Cooperation. Before joining SECO in 2019, he participated in the Mercator Fellowship Program for graduates, focusing on various aspects of private sector development in North Africa, including work with the World Bank and GIZ. Previously, he worked in the fields of politics and economics at the Swiss representation in Japan and also worked for a non-profit organization in Bern on sustainable supply chains. Stefan obtained a Master’s degree in International Affairs from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. He studied political science, economics, and public law at the University of Zurich, with two semesters abroad at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Boston and Sciences Po in Bordeaux.