Caroline Schmutte, Head of Government Relations, Europe

Caroline leads Wellcome’s Government Relations in Europe and manages the Berlin Office.

Connect with Caroline on LinkedIn or X

Caroline Schmutte joined Wellcome Trust in 2018 to lead the new Germany Office, our first international presence outside the United Kingdom.

In September 2021, she became Wellcome’s Head of European Government Relations, overseeing our activities and relationships with European governments, think tanks, and other policy partners.

Wellcome’s government relations work in Europe includes joint partnerships such as the Access to Covid Tools-Accelerator or the Global AMR R&D Hub, regular exchange with government officials or advisers, and joint events. We also support and set up dialogues between scientists and policymakers, and bring our cultural work to Europe to widen public engagement with global health and science – for example the Wellcome Photography Prize. Caroline is managing a team across Wellcome’s Germany and UK offices and represents Wellcome publicly.

Prior to joining Wellcome, Caroline led the Germany Office of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. From 2013 to 2018 she built the Foundation’s relationships, activities, and grant portfolio with the German Government, international development organizations, NGOs, and other partners. She also served as an advisor to Bill and Melinda Gates, as well as other members of the Foundation’s leadership, and as a spokesperson for the Foundation in Germany.

Caroline previously worked as a Private Sector Development Specialist at World Bank Group and Engagement Manager at McKinsey. During this time, she led consulting engagements in healthcare provision, policy, and pharmaceutical innovation, as well as in agriculture, sustainability, and public sector strategy.

She holds a master’s degree in Public Administration and International Development from the Harvard Kennedy School and a B.A. in Economics and Spanish from Dartmouth College.

Caroline is originally from Frankfurt, Germany, and has lived and worked across America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.