Born on 16 May 1953 in Bamberg; Protestant, married, four children

1973
Abitur (higher education entrance qualification), Franz-Ludwig-Gymnasium in Bamberg

1973 - 1974
Military service in Regensburg

1974 - 1978
Studied law at the Friedrich Alexander University in Erlangen, passed first state examination in law in Erlangen

1979 - 1981
Practical law training, passed second state examination in law in Nürnberg

1981 - 1984
Judge at Ansbach administrative court

1984 - 1986
Senior civil servant, government of Central Franconia, Bavaria

1986 - 1988
Judge at Ansbach administrative court

1988 - 1991
Internal affairs and environmental affairs speaker of the CSU state group in Bonn

1991 - 1993
Representative of the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior at the Bavarian Representation in Bonn

1993 - 1995
Director of the Office of State Secretary Hermann Regensburger at the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior

1995 - 1996
Director of the Office of Dr. Günther Beckstein, the Bavarian Minister of the Interior

1996 - 2005
Vice President of the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (Germany’s domestic intelligence service)

2005 - 2009
Director of Division 6, Federal Chancellery

2009 - 2014
State Secretary, Federal Ministry of the Interior

2014 - 2018
State Secretary at the Federal Chancellery and Federal Government Commissioner for the Federal Intelligence Services