Matthias Toepfer (1976) has been head of the Higher Education Policy and Political Dialogue Division at Südwestmetall—the Baden-Württemberg Association of the Metal and Electrical Industry—since 2015.
After studying law at Humboldt University in Berlin and the Moscow State Law University (MGLU), he worked at a management consulting firm and at the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations within the Federation of German Industries (BDI). While working, he earned a degree in business administration from Wismar University of Applied Sciences.
In the field of quality assurance in academic studies and teaching, he is active, among other roles, as a board member of ASIIN e. V. (2018–2023), as a member of the evalag Accreditation Commission (2019–2025), and as a member of the University Council at DHBW Stuttgart (since 2023).