The EastWest Institute (EWI) announced today that Ambassador Heiko Thoms has joined the institute as a Distinguished Fellow. Ambassador Thoms is the former Chief of Staff of the German Foreign Minister and former Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations. In his capacity as a Distinguished Fellow, he will lend his expertise to the institute’s programmatic work around conflict resolution and European and Middle East security issues.
 
“It is truly an honor to have Ambassador Thoms join the EastWest Institute, bringing his deep global policy experience and understanding of European security issues at a critical historical juncture,” said Dr. William J. Parker III, Chief Operating Officer, the EastWest Institute. “Ambassador Thoms joins our esteemed group of EWI fellows, and we look forward to his insights and contributions at a time when solutions to today’s critical security issues are increasingly critical.” 
 
Ambassador Thoms has over 18 years experience in foreign and security policy and multilateral negotiations. Ambassador Thoms’ career in the German Foreign Service has seen him posted in Cairo, Teheran, Brussels and Berlin. 

As Chief of Staff, he was the German Foreign Minister’s principal adviser. During his time as Deputy Permanent Representative and Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, he represented Germany in the Security Council and the General Assembly. He also served as Vice-President of UNICEF’s and UN WOMEN’s Executive Board.