Before joining BPA, Michael H. Gerdts served as the German Ambassador to Italy (2004 to 2007 and 2010 to 2012), to Poland (2007 to 2010), and to Kenya (1995 to 1999). He was the Private Secretary and Deputy Head of the Minister's Office of then Foreign Ministers Hans-Dietrich Genscher and Klaus Kinkel from 1988 to 1992 and worked as the Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry from 1992 to 1995. During his diplomatic career Michael Gerdts held positions at the U.N. Missions in Geneva and New York, and served as Deputy Head of the Department for Global Issues, the United Nations, Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid and as the Head of Department for Communication, Public Relations and Media of the German Foreign Office in Berlin.

Michael H. Gerdts studied Economics and Social Sciences at the University of Cologne and at Pennsylvania State University.