Albert Braakmann is Head of Division at the German Federal Statistical Office where he has worked since 1982. He is a graduate in economics from the University of Oldenburg and took postgraduate studies in European Economics at the College of Europe in Bruges. He worked in the Input-Output section of the Office from 1982 to 1992, the GDP Compilation Division from 1995 to 2002 and the National Income section since 2003. He is currently responsible for income distribution compilations, general government sector data and figures on external economic transactions. He worked at the Statistical Office of the European Communities in 1991-1994. In addition to his work at the Office, he has participated in the evaluation of a statistics project in Cyprus. He has written extensively on many aspects of national accounting. He is a member of several professional associations, including the International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, Association de Comptabilite Nationale, and the German Statistical Society.