The Senior Deputy High Representative, Matei Hoffmann, a German diplomat, joined the OHR in July 1999. His previous posts include Head of the Civilian Co-ordination Office for Kosovo of the German Federal Government and Charge d'Affaires/Minister at the German Embassy in Rome (1996-1999). He was Head of the Chancellor's Office in Bonn (1994-1996) as well as Head of the Division : European Affairs and Bilateral Relations, Western Europe, Turkey and WEU at the Federal Chancellery (1993-1994). Earlier, Ambassador Hoffmann served as Personal Assistant to the State Secretary of the German Foreign Office (1989-1991) and held positions at German missions in Paris, Porto Alegre and Washington. He holds a doctorate in law from the University of Marburg.