Martin Weiss (born December 31, 1962, in

Innsbruck Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol (state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the ...

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

) is an Austrian career

diplomat A diplomat (from grc, δίπλωμα; romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state or an intergovernmental institution such as the United Nations or the European Union to conduct diplomacy with one or more other states or internati ...

who served as Ambassador of Austria to the United States from 2019 to 2022. He is currently the president and chief executive officer of

Salzburg Global Seminar Salzburg Global Seminar is a non-profit organization that challenges current and future leaders to shape a better world. It convenes programs on health care, education, culture, finance, technology, public policy, media, human rights, corporate g ...

, an independent nongovernmental organization based in Salzburg, Austria and Washington, D.C. He previously served as Austrian Ambassador to

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

and

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...

Life and career

Martin Weiss grew up in

Salzburg Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian) is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872. The town is on the site of the ...

, Austria, and studied law at the Faculty of Law of the

University of Vienna The University of Vienna (german: Universität Wien) is a public research university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world. With its long and rich histor ...

. After graduating in 1986, he worked as teaching assistant for constitutional law at his ''alma mater'' until 1988. He then spent one year at the

University of Virginia School of Law The University of Virginia School of Law (Virginia Law or UVA Law) is the law school of the University of Virginia, a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as part of his "academical v ...

on a

Fulbright The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...

stipend, acquiring a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in 1989. He joined the Austrian Foreign Service in 1990 and had his first posting at the Austrian Mission to the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

in New York, where he served as Human Rights Attaché. After returning to the Foreign Ministry in Vienna and a leave of absence to support the presidential campaign of

Thomas Klestil Thomas Klestil (; 4 November 1932 – 6 July 2004) was an Austrian diplomat and politician who served as President of Austria from 1992 to his death in 2004. He was elected in 1992 and re-elected into office in 1998. Biography until 1992 Born ...

, Martin Weiss was posted to the Austrian Embassy in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, where he held the positions of Political Counselor, Counselor for Congressional Affairs and Public Diplomacy, and later Director of the Austrian Press and Information Service. He returned to Vienna in 2001 to take up the position of Director of the Press and Information Department at the

Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (german: Bundesministerium für europäische und internationale Angelegenheiten, abbreviated BMEIA, colloquially ''Außenministerium'') is the government ministry of Austria responsible for diplomatic missions and ...

. From 2004 to 2009 he served as Austrian

consul general A consul is an official representative of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, as well as to facilitate trade and friendship between the people ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, followed by his first

ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sov ...

ial posting as head of mission to

(2009-2012). After returning once again to the Foreign Ministry in Vienna to lead the Press and Information Department from 2012 to 2015, Martin Weiss was appointed Austrian Ambassador to

in 2015, a position he held until 2019. On November 1, 2019, Martin Weiss took up his duties as Austrian Ambassador to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. He presented his credentials to the

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

on January 6, 2020.

Personal life

Martin Weiss is married and father of two adult children.

References

External links

Austrian Embassy — Washington, D.C.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Weiss, Martin Austrian diplomats Ambassadors of Austria to the United States 1962 births People from Innsbruck University of Vienna alumni Living people Ambassadors of Austria to Israel Ambassadors of Austria to Cyprus