Since 2018 Dr Rassow is Head of the Animal Health and Welfare Directorate at the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMEL). As Chief Veterinary Officer and Delegate to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) he represents the German Veterinary Service at European and international level.

After qualifying as Veterinary surgeon at Berlin University and working in large animal practice, Dr Rassow joined the State Service of Lower Saxony in 1987. In 2004, he moved to the BMEL at Bonn and Berlin as Head of various in the areas of EU affairs, disease crisis management and international trade. Between 2012 and 2016, Dr Rassow was a senior consultant to the WOAH in Paris.

In the Directorate headed by Dr Rassow, six Divisions deal with animal welfare, animal diseases, veterinary medicines and trade.