Alfredo Conte is a career diplomat from the Italian MFA. He has almost three decades of professional experience serving among others in Hong Kong (during the time of the handover to China), Berlin, and as adviser of a number of Italian Foreign Ministers. 

From 2008 to January 2018, he has been seconded to Brussels – first to the Policy Unit, then to the European External Action Service. In this capacity, he has been a member of HR Javier Solana's team; under Cathy Ashton, he was appointed Head of the Strategic Planning Division in the EEAS. Under Federica Mogherini, he was directly involved in the elaboration of the Global Strategy for the EU's Foreign and Security Policy, presented to the European Council in June 2016. 

Back to the Italian MFA as of January 2018, he briefly served as Special Adviser to two high-profile Special Representatives of the Italian OSCE CiO, Franco Frattini (for the Transnistria settlement process) and Paola Severino (for international fight against corruption). 

From November 2018 to May 2021, he has been Head of Coordination at the Secretariat General. 

In May 2021, Alfredo Conte has been appointed Deputy Director General for Political Affairs and Principal Director for the Mediterranean, Middle East and Gulf Countries.