Wolfgang Schmidt is a former German Federal Minister for Special Affairs and Head of the German Chancellery. His political career began as a personal adviser and later Chief of Staff to the Secretary General of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). He later served as Head of the Ministerial Office and Head of Planning at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.  

In December 2021, he was appointed Head of the Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Affairs, cementing him as one of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s closest allies.