Mr. Gottfried graduated from and received his post-graduate degree as an economist specialised in international trade policy and finance at the Budapest University of Economics. He started his professional career in the business sector, then he worked as an expert with the Department for Customs Policy and International Economic Organisations of the of the Ministry of Foreign Trade. Between 1983 and 1985 he worked for the Hungarian Mission delegated to international economic organisations in Geneva.
For almost 6 years beginning with autumn 1989 he served as diplomat of the Hungarian Mission to EU in different ranks, beginning as second secretary finally becoming deputy Head of Mission. During his Brussels stay he participated int he negotiations of agreements between the EU and Hungary, including the Association and the Accession Treaty. Returning to Hungary he was appointed as President of the Office for European Affairs as state secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Trade then in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Between 2005 and 2006 he was head of the Office for European Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Office. In 2007-2010 he worked as Ambassador heading the Hungarian Mission accredited to OECD in Paris. Between 2010 and 2020 he worked as European policy adviser of the Prime Minister.
During his professional career he participated in the negotiating delegations of a number of bilateral and multilateral agreements, including the EU-Hungary accession agreement and he was delegated as alternate member of the Convention preparing the Lisbon Agreement. He participated at most of the sessions of the European Council since the accession of Hungary.
Honors: Hungarian, German and Italian awards