Former Ambassador, Switzerland

Ambassador Walter Fust led the Global Humanitarian Forum from May 2008 until end of March 2010, following 15 years as the Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC). Fust is President of Globethics.net/Geneva. He serves as a board member of the International Forum of Federations (Ottawa), a global network on federalism and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina/Egypt. He also serves as a member of the boards of the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CODA), the International Risk Governance Council Geneva (IRGC) and philanthropic foundations. He is a member of the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global Agenda Council of Humanitarian Assistance and a member of the UN Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA 2010 - 2014).

Fust worked in banking and public administration before entering the Swiss Diplomatic service in 1975 with Geneva as a first assignment, followed by Baghdad and Tokyo. From September 1983 until the end of 1984 he served in the European Integration Office (EFTA/EU). From 1985 and 1986 he served as personal advisor to Federal Councilor Dr Kurt Furgler, Minister of Public Economy and President of the Swiss Confederation (1985). In 1986 he was appointed as Managing Director of the Swiss Office for Trade Promotion (OSEC) and from1990 to 1993 he served as Secretary General of the Ministry for the Interior with national responsibility for science and research, environment, culture, social affairs and public health, among other portfolios. Born in 1945, Fust studied at St. Gallen University, graduating with a Masters in political science.