Before joining the MSC, he worked as Special Assistant for former Secretary-General of the United Nations and Nobel Laureate Kofi Annan and as Senior Advisor for Strategic Affairs at the Christian Social Union. Benedikt Franke holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge and a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He publishes regularly on foreign and security policy topics and sits on several relevant committees such as the Foundation Council of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen and the International Commission of the CSU. In his (limited) leisure time he works as Special Envoy of the Sovereign Order of Malta.