Walter Brinkmann, a native German, graduated in economics and mechanical engineering from the Technical University of Berlin (TUB) in 1971 and gained an MBA from INSEAD, Fontainebleau/France in 1973.

Started a marketing career with Colgate-Palmolive in Brussels; last position in 1976/77 was New Products Manager Benelux; followed by seven years with McKinsey&Co in Düsseldorf/Germany. 1984 Walter joined Bayer AG as Marketing Director in the Business-Group Consumer-Products and became general manager of its German operation in 1987, a position he gave up in 1990.

From 1990 to 2000 Walter created, built and managed for The Coca-Cola Company their European Affairs Office in Brussels/Belgium and a European governmental affairs network within the EU and the then candidate countries. One focus in the later years was on negotiating the implementation of the European Works Council Directive with Coca-Cola employee representatives from all EU countries and subsequently managing the Forum that was created.

Since late 2000 Walter works as an independent consultant in European affairs from Oxford/UK. One key area of this work for major multinational companies is international labour relations, especially negotiations with employee representatives to implement the European Works Council Directives and managing restructuring processes covering a multitude of European countries.