Benoit Wirz joined Knight Foundation as director of business consulting in 2010.

Wirz works with Knight Foundation staff to develop programs based on realistic business plans. He also consults with select Knight grantees.

Wirz is a founder of US Global, where he helped take businesses from start-up to profitability. There, Wirz identified, evaluated and managed investments in companies ranging from $500,000 to $10 million. He also served as vice president of strategic planning for a manufacturing company, U.S. Global Glass, and vice president, business development for US Global Synfuel, which invested in and developed energy companies and synthetic fuel projects.

Wirz completed his MBA at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France and received a master’s in international policy studies and a bachelor’s in international relations from Stanford University. He speaks French, Spanish and Russian.