Rolf Nikel has been the German Ambassador to Poland since 2014. Most recently, he was Government Commissioner for Arms Control and Disarmament. He has also worked in embassies in Moscow, Nairobi, Washington, and Paris.

From 2006 to 2011 he was the Deputy Chief Adviser for International Politics and Security to the Federal Government. He studied politics, economics, and international law in Frankfurt, the United States, and France.