Martin Hirsch graduated from Ecole Normale Superieure (biology) and Ecole nationale d’administration. He held various positions within the French administration: member of the Council of State, chief of staff of the health minister, CEO of the French food safety agency.

He was a member of the French Government between 2007 and 2010 as High Commissioner for the policy against poverty and High Commissioner for Youth.

He chaired the national body in charge of volunteering, “agence du service civique”, before being appointed CEO of the Greater Paris University Hospitals (AP-HP).

As a volunteer, he chaired for a long time the NGO called Emmaus. He is the author of a dozen books related to social issues.