| | Studies of History, Journalism and Law, University of Vienna |
| | Graduation with honors (Mag.phil) in History and Communication Science |
| | Degree from the 32nd Post Graduate Management University Course at the Vienna University of Economics and Business |
| | 7th Strategic Leadership Course of the LVAK (Austrian National Defence Academy) on behalf of the Federal Government and the National Security Council |
| | Postgraduate Diploma in General Management, ESMT European School of Management and Technology, Berlin |
| 1991-1992 | Press spokesman of the Vienna branch of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) |
| 1992-1997 | Permanent freelancer in the editorial department for ethnic minorities of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) |
| 1997-1998 | Press Officer, Federation of Austrian Industries (IV), Editor-in-Chief of "Industry News Service" |
| 1998-1999 | Federal Managing Director of Young Industry / Group 1031 |
| 1999-2001 | Manager of the IV Newsroom, Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) |
| 2001-2011 | Director of Marketing & Communication Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) |
| since 2011 | Director General of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) |
| 1972 | Master's Degree in Philosophy, University of Toulouse |
| 1974-1985 | Assistant to the General Secretary, International Textile Workers' Federation, Brussels |
| 1985-2000 | Director, Euro-FIET (European Trade Union Federation for Commerce, Finance, IT and other Services), Brussels |
| 1985-2011 | Member, Executive Committee and Steering Committee, ETUC - European Trade Union Confederation, Brussels |
| 2000-2010 | Elected Secretary, UNI Europa (European Trade Union for Services), Brussels (re-elected in 2003 and 2007) |
| since 2011 | Elected General Secretary, ETUC - European Trade Union Confederation, Athens Congress, Brussels |
| 1978-1983 | University of Vienna, Law Faculty; 1983 Graduation as Doktor iuris - Doctor of Law |
| 1982-1983 | Assistant Lecturer and Researcher, Institute of Criminal Law, University of Vienna |
| 1983-1984 | Judge's Assistant at several Courts of Law in Vienna |
| 1984-1987 | Civil Servant for the Federal State Lower Austria; employed in the Headquarter as well as in the Country Councils of Gmünd and Baden |
| 1987-1990 | Member in the Cabinet of the Minister of Defence |
| 1989-1991 | Speaker on European Relations, ÖAAB, the Employees' Association of the Austrian People's Party - ÖVP |
| 1990-1993 | Trainee Programme, Federation of Austrian Industrialists, including Work Experience at Alcatel Austria, Siemens and the Austrian Power Industry, as well as a four-months internship in Germany |
| 1991 | Deputy Head, ÖAAB |
| 1992-1993 | Member, Federal Chamber in the Austrian Parliament |
| 1993-1994 | GiroCredit (Austrian bank), employed within the Secretary of the Board; Strategic Management |
| 1993-1995 | MP - Member of the National Assembly |
| 1995-1996 | MEP - Member of the European Parliament (ÖVP-EVP), Brussels, Member in the Parliamentary Committee on Economics, Currency Issues and Industrial Policy, Deputy Member in the Committee for Social Issues and Employment |
| since 1996 | MP - Member of the National Assembly in the Austrian Parliament |
| 1996-2006 | Party's Speaker on Foreign Affairs, Head of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs |
| since 1998 | Chairman, NÖAAB (ÖAAB of Lower Austria) |
| 2000-2007 | Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe |
| 2000-2006 | Deputy Parliamentary Group Leader, Austrian People´s Party |
| 2002-2006 | Head, Austrian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe |
| 2006-2008 | 2nd President, Austrian National Council |
| 2008-2013 | Federal Minister for European and International Affairs |
| since 2009 | Head, ÖAAB |
| since 2011 | Vice-Chancellor of the Republic of Austria and Head of ÖVP |
| since 2013 | Federal Minister of Finance |
| 1973-1979 | Research Assistant, Institute for Agricultural Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna |
| 1978 | Doctorate, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna |
| 1979-1984 | Executive Assistant, Provincial Chamber of Agriculture of Tyrol, Innsbruck |
| 1985-1989 | Director, Provincial Chamber of Agriculture of Tyrol, Innsbruck |
| 1989-1994 | Austrian Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Vienna |
| 1995-2004 | European Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, Brussels |
| 2005-2011 | Chairman, Ecosocial Forum Europe, Vienna |
| 2005-2015 | Chairman, RISE-Foundation, Brussels |
| 2014-2015 | Chairman of the Steering Committee of the EU scientific programme for Expo Milano 2015 |
| since 2012 | President, European Forum Alpbach, Vienna |
| since 2016 | President, Board of Trustees to the Austrian Institute of Advanced Studies (IHS), Vienna |
| 1987-1989 | Degree in German Literature and Political Science, University of Vienna |
| 1989-1995 | Degree in International Law, Macroeconomics, Political Science, University of Vienna |
| 1996 | Projects, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business |
| since 1996 | Journalist for the Austrian quality newspaper "Die Presse" (foreign desk) |
| 2003-2004 | Correspondent in Berlin (Germany) |
| since 2004 | Head of the foreign desk, "Die Presse" |
| since 2009 | Editor in Chief, "Die Presse am Sonntag" |
