Christoph Gottschalk

Christoph Gottschalk specializes in senior executive search assignments in the areas of nonprofit, government affairs and media.  Based in Hamburg, he recruits senior executives within the public sector and for public policy organizations. He has also completed various assignments for clients in the energy sector.

Recent Client Experience

Christoph's recent assignments within the nonprofit sector include the recruitment of senior leadership roles for a global public private partnership, the CEO of a leading economic development agency and the set up of the management team for a municipal utility. Furthermore, he has advised a number of large international companies on the recruitment of senior corporate communications executives and government affairs directors. Christoph has also recruited senior directors to a renewable energy company.

Previous Experience

Prior to joining Russell Reynolds Associates, Christoph was the German Adviser to the French Prime Minister. His responsibilities included Franco-German relations, bilateral meetings, policy analyses, and the preparation and drafting of speeches. Previously, he served in senior project management and adviser roles, including with the Franco-German Youth Organisation, the Heinz-Schwarzkopf Foundation and the Werkstatt Deutschland.

Earlier, Christoph worked for the TV channel ZDF, the German Opera in Berlin and for a Member of the European Parliament. He was President and Chairman of the European Youth Parliament and organised high-profile international conferences for various non-governmental organisations. He also chaired several political debates, including a TV debate between Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and President Jaques Chirac in 2003.

Additional Professional Activities

Christoph is a member of the jury selecting the "Young European of the Year", Heinz-Schwarzkopf-Stiftung and he is also a member of the Summer Academy Europe of the Bertelsmann Foundation. Christoph was a Chairperson at several Young Leaders conferences. Christoph is a regular speaker at political panels on European affairs and socio-political matters.

Education

Christoph graduated from Leibniz College in Tübingen and received his M.Sc. in European Public Policy from the University of London, Birkbeck College. He is fluent in English, French and German.