Ann Mettler

Ann has more than 25 years of experience in public policy, working at the intersection of technology, innovation, investment and industrial policy. 

From 2020-2025, she served as Vice President Europe at Breakthrough Energy, an organization founded by Bill Gates. In March 2025, the organization decided to discontinue its policy work and Ann is currently in the process of winding down Breakthrough’s Europe operation. 

From 2014-2019, Ann was Director-General and Head of the European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC), the European Commission’s in-house think tank. In 2016, the EPSC was named ‘Best New Think Tank’ by the Global Go-To Think Tank Index. In 2017-2019, it was ranked in the global top ten ‘Government-Affiliated Think Tanks’. 

In 2025, Ann was recognized as one of the TOP 100 Europe’s Women in Startups and VCs, and in 2019, Politico named her as one of the top five women shaping Brussels. 

Previously, Ann was Executive Director of The Lisbon Council, a Brussels-based knowledge economy think tank. Ms. Mettler co-founded the organization in 2003. From 2000-2003, Ann worked at the World Economic Forum, where she last served as Director for Europe. Prior to this appointment, she was responsible for the WEF’s activities in the United States and Canada. From 1997-2000, Ms. Mettler held positions on the Governmental Affairs Committee of the United States Senate, a strategic advisory firm in Washington, DC and the foreign policy division of the European Commission, Brussels. 

Ann has been widely published and quoted in key media outlets, such as the FT, Politico, The Economist, Wall Street Journal and New York Times. She has provided analysis of current affairs on CNBC, Bloomberg TV and BBC, and is a frequent speaker at high-level conferences. 

A dual citizen of Germany and Sweden, Ann has lived and worked in Greece, the United States, Switzerland and Belgium. She holds Masters degrees in political science and European law and economics, and graduated with distinction from University of New Mexico, USA, and Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University in Bonn, Germany. In 2016, Ann completed the executive education program ‘Innovative Technology Leader’ at Stanford Graduate School of Business.