1982-83, Diplomatic Trainee, Berne and Geneva (IUHEI); 1983-84, Diplomatic Trainee, Vienna; 1984-86, Diplomatic Collaborator, Directorate of International Organisations; 1987-88, Private Secretary of the Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA); 1988-92, First Secretary, then Counsellor, Mission of Switzerland to the European Union; in charge of the negotiations on land transport and the coordination of the negotiations on the European Economic Area; 1992-97, Counsellor, Swiss Embassy, London, responsible for economic, financial and European integration matters; 1997-2004, Minister, then Ambassador, Head of the Economic and Financial Affairs Division, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs; 2003-07, Ambassador of Switzerland to Syria; 2007-12, Ambassador, Head of the Mission of Switzerland to the European Union, Brussels; 2012-13, Ambassador of Switzerland to the People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Mongolia, with residence in Beijing; 2013-16, State Secretary, Swiss Federal Department of Finance (FDF); since 2015, Chief Negotiator in negotiations with the EU.