Matthias has served as the Director of ALLEA – the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities – since 2015, following a diverse career in policy and communications roles with the Union of German Academies, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and other science-policy organisations.

As ALLEA's director, he played a key role in establishing the SAPEA project, which enables European academies to provide independent scientific advice to EU institutions. He also spearheaded the creation of the European Fund for Displaced Scientists (EFDS) in 2022, a vital initiative supporting at-risk researchers from Ukraine in response to the Russian aggression.

Matthias holds degrees in Political Science, Modern History, and Spanish Studies, which he pursued in Germany and Spain. His teaching experience includes lectureships in Translation Studies, Political Science, and History at the universities of Alicante, Spain, and Quito, Ecuador.