Rafał Wiśniewski was born in Łódź on February 22 1965.

1989 – MA in the political history and culture of Hungary in the 20^th century, Faculty of Neophilology of Warsaw University.

1988-1991 – staff member of the Faculty of Neophilology, Warsaw University. Specialist on Central Europe at the International Studies Centre of  the Senate. Co-founder of the Foundation of the Centre of International Initiatives.

1991- 1992 – Second Secretary for scientific affairs  at the Polish Embassy in Budapest.

1992-1997 – First Secretary, and subsequently  Counsellor and Director of the Polish Institute in Hungary, author of the Festival of Polish Art  “Ekspres Polonia” (1997). Author of the conception of reform of Polish cultural diplomacy (1997).

1997-2001 – at the MFA, head of the Central Europe Section, in 1998 became Plenipotentiary of the Minister  for the Promotion of Polish culture in the world, 1998-2001  was the Coordinating Director for information, promotion and culture. Co-author of the government strategy of international promotion of Poland’s accession to the European Union (2000).

2001-2005 – Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Hungary.

2005-2007 – Under-Secretary of State at the MFA responsible for development assistance, foreign economic policy, information, promotion and culture.

R. Wiśniewski was responsible for the establishment of economic diplomacy within MFA structures; subsequently, he became a titular ambassador at the Department of Strategy and Foreign Policy Planning.

2007 – appointed Director General of the Foreign Service.

Rafał Wiśniewski is married and has two daughters.