People

Born on 6 June, 1951, Theodor H Winkler studied political science and international security at the University of Geneva and Harvard University and at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva. In 1981 he obtained a PhD in political science with a thesis on nuclear proliferation. Ambassador Winkler joined the Swiss Department of Defence in late 1981 as an international security expert. In 1985 he was appointed Representative of the Chief of Staff for Politico-Military Affairs, and in 1995 Head of the newly created Division for International Security Policy. In 1998 he was promoted to the rank of Deputy Head, Security and Defence Policy. On 13 June 2000, Winkler was appointed Director of the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) and promoted to the rank of ambassador by the Swiss Federal Council. He served in that position until June 2016.