Welcome
Carmen Heidecke, Ambassador to the WTO
Before taking up her post as Germany's Ambassador to the WTO in September 2024, Carmen Heidecke was Head of Division in the Digital and Innovation Policy Department of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, (BMWK). She was responsible for the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM), Germany's largest support and funding programme for innovative SMEs, which aims to promote the innovative capacity of SMEs and launches several thousand new projects every year.
Her work focused on national and international innovation cooperation, including bilateral and plurilateral agreements, as well as overreaching innovation policy issues. In this context, she was also responsible for the creation and realization of international events, especially of the BMWK’s Innovation Day for SMEs which showcases how SMEs are tackling the future challenges and driving technological exchange, bringing together around 2.000 entrepreneurs, scientists, politicians and representatives of public authorities and general public.
Carmen Heidecke started her career as a lawyer in international corporate law firms in Spain and Germany. After developing expertise in various fields, she focused on all areas of commercial and corporate law. She advised national and international companies and entrepreneurs as well as their owners and stakeholders, including the negotiation and drafting of contracts.
Previously, Carmen Heidecke worked in the Industrial Department of the BMWK, and for several years was head of the office of the Parliamentary State Secretaries and Federal Commissioners for SMEs.