Martin Hirsch

About Martin Hirsch

A graduate of the École Normale Supérieure with a DEA in neurobiology, Martin Hirsch joined the École Nationale d’Administration. Upon graduating in 1990, he became a State Councillor and was promoted to Master of Requests three years later.

At the same time, he volunteered with the Emmaüs movement, becoming its president from 2002 to 2007.

Martin Hirsch entered politics in 1997, becoming chief of staff to Bernard Kouchner at the State Secretariat for Health and Social Action.

He subsequently held various responsibilities in the service of the State, including the general management of the French Food Safety Agency since its inception.

In 2006, he founded the New Agency for Active Solidarity, with the mission of implementing local actions to combat poverty, in partnership with public authorities and businesses.

On May 18, 2007, he joined the Fillon government as High Commissioner for Active Solidarity against Poverty, a position from which he created the Active Solidarity Income (RSA).

Martin Hirsch is currently President of the Civic Service Agency, since 2010.

He co-chairs the Social Business Chair at HEC with Muhammad Yunus, and the Action Tank Enterprise Poverty.

He recently participated in the international commission chaired by Michelle Bachelet, proposing a global social protection floor.

He is the author of a dozen books, the most recent of which are Secrets de fabrication (Grasset, 2010) Pour en finir avec les conflits d’intérêts (Stock, 2010) Sécu: objectif monde (Stock 2011), L’abbé Pierre (Gallimard, 2012).

The proceeds from Martin Hirsch’s lectures are entirely donated to the Civic Service Institute.