Speakers
Dr Michael A. Köhler is Ambassador and co-lead of the Grand Bargain agreement improve the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian action.
From August 2019 to January 2024 Dr Köhler was Deputy Director-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations in the European Commission’s DG ECHO. From April 2022 to March 2023 he served as Acting Director-General of DG ECHO.
Michael Köhler joined the European Commission in 1994, where he held several positions, including as Director for the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood in DG DEVCO in 2013 and 2014 and as Director for EU-Neighbourhood Policy at DG NEAR, where he was responsible for cooperation with Mediterranean Arab countries and Israel (2015-2019).
Before joining the Commission, Michael worked as a representative of Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation in Morocco and Tunisia (1987-1993), leading a series of German-funded development projects, before joining the Policy Planning Department of the Federal Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development in Germany (1993-1994).
Michael Köhler holds a Dr. phil. in History and Middle Eastern Studies from Hamburg University (1987).
Michael Koehler is moderating the session : " Shifting the lens: transitioning from humanitarian aid to sustainable solutions through private investment ".