Jean-David Levitte
Jean-David Levitte, a member of the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques and chairman of the board of trustees of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), has had a remarkable diplomatic career. Jean-David Levitte joined the Quai d’Orsay in 1970 and began his diplomatic career in Hong Kong and then Beijing, before being called upon by President Giscard d’Estaing to join the Élysée from 1975 to 1981. From 1995 to 2000, he was the diplomatic advisor and Sherpa to President Jacques Chirac. Previously, he was notably Director General of Cultural, Scientific and Technical Relations, Director in charge of Asia and Oceania, Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Deputy Director of West Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2007 to 2012, he was the diplomatic advisor and Sherpa to President Nicolas Sarkozy. From 2003 to 2007, he was Ambassador to Washington during the difficult period of the Iraq War. From 2000 to 2002, he was Ambassador to the UN in New York, chairing the Security Council during the attacks of 11 September 2001, and negotiating the return of inspectors to Iraq in 2002. Jean-David Levitte joined the ESL Rivington group in September 2015.
