Michael Haefliger has been involved with major European festivals throughout his career, initially as an active performing artist and, since 1999, as the Executive and Artistic Director of Lucerne Festival. He serves as a board member on international organizations; he was named “Global Leader for Tomorrow” by the World Economic Forum in Davos, and also received the European Cultural Innovation Award, the Tourism Award from the Lucerne Tourism Forum, the Cultural Award of Central Switzerland, the Badge of Honor of the City of Lucerne and the Swiss Society of New York Award.

Currently Haefliger is a board member of the Avenir Suisse Foundation, the Davos Festival Foundation, the UBS Cultural Foundation, and the Pierre Boulez Foundation. He serves as Chairman of the Jury for the Credit Suisse Young Artist Award. Michael Haefliger is an alumnus of the Juilliard School of Music, St. Gallen University, and the Harvard Business School.