Brussels, 1 February 2023
COLLEGE MEETING: EU Commission appoints a new Director-General for its Directorate-General for Budget
The European Commission has decided today to appoint Stéphanie Riso as Director-General for its Directorate-General for Budget (DG BUDG). This Commission department is responsible for managing the budget of the European Union. This includes proposing and implementing the financial framework, as well as collecting the resources that EU countries have agreed to contribute, and undertaking all market operations on behalf of the Union budget. The decision will take effect on 16 February 2023.
Stéphanie Riso, a French national, has over 20 years of first-hand experience in dealing with EU budgetary and financial matters in the Commission. Her thorough knowledge of the mechanics and structure of the EU budget together with her deep understanding of financial market operations will be key in her new position. She is also equipped with remarkably advanced negotiation skills acquired through a variety of high-stake negotiations where she represented the European Commission, including in the context of Brexit. Throughout her career, she demonstrated her capacity to think creatively and strategically when facing policy challenges and to provide a clear vision and leadership on strategic matters, including on the long-term EU budget and NextGenerationEU over the previous years.
Stéphanie Riso is currently Deputy Head of Cabinet of President von der Leyen, responsible for the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework, the coordination of economic policy and the relations with the United Kingdom and Switzerland. From 2016 until 2019, she was Director in charge of the strategy, coordination and communication of the Task Force for the negotiations with the UK, providing strategic and operational advice to Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier. Prior to that, she was Head of Unit in charge of the Multiannual Financial Framework in DG BUDG and before Head of unit ‘Fiscal policy and surveillance’ in the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN). She served as Deputy Head of Cabinet and Cabinet Member of two Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioners Rehn and Almunia. Before joining DG ECFIN in 2000 as an economist, she worked as a market analyst in the banking sector.
COLLEGE MEETING: EU Commission transfers in the interests of the service a new Director-General for its Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
The European Commission has decided to transfer in the interests of the service Marc Lemaître to the function of Director-General in the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD). This Commission department is responsible for EU policy on research, science and innovation, with a view to help create growth and jobs and tackle our biggest societal challenges. The decision will take effect on 16 February 2023.
In his new position, Marc Lemaître, a Luxembourgish national, will draw on his extensive experience of over 25 years in devising and implementing various EU policies, including through 15 years of management experience at the European Commission. He will also benefit from his excellent communication and leadership skills as well as his aptness to conceive innovative solutions in the face of complex policy challenges.
Since 2016, Marc Lemaître has been the Director-General of the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO). He played a key role in developing policies intended to reduce disparities across European regions. More recently, he also oversaw the formulation of several EU policies, such as the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative or React-EU, to spur the recovery of regions from the COVID-19 pandemic and support them in catering for the reception of refugees from Ukraine and in cushioning off the effects of high energy prices on vulnerable households and SMEs.
Previously, he was the Head of Cabinet for the Commissioner for Budget and Financial programming Janusz Lewandowski and for two Commissioners in charge of regional policy Pawel Samecki and Danuta Hübner. Before joining the Commission in 2007, he was Deputy Director for Development Cooperation in the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to that, he served for ten years in the Permanent Representation of Luxembourg to the European Union and was notably in charge of the negotiations on the EU long-term budget 2007-2013.
COLLEGE MEETING: EU Commission appoints a new Deputy Director-General for its Directorate-General for Human Resources and Security
The European Commission has decided today to appoint Christian Roques as Deputy Director-General for its Directorate-General for Human Resources and Security (DG HR). The Human Resources and Security department oversees recruitment policy, training and career management, social policies and working conditions for Commission staff. It is responsible for keeping buildings and employees safe, and online security. The decision will take effect on 16 February 2023.
Christian Roques, a French national, brings with him a profound knowledge of a wide range of human resources matters in the European Commission along with his advanced communication and negotiations skills acquired through various complex stakeholder engagements and outreach efforts. He will continue to benefit from the robust and trusted relationships he has built with a plethora of actors in the administration realm and from his proven capacity to steer and coordinate large-scale projects, processes, and operations with a tangible impact on the workforce of the Commission.
Since 2019, he has been Director in DG HR, where he is now in charge of finance, legal and partnerships, after previously being responsible for working conditions, well-being and the Medical Services. He notably assumed a leading role in managing the principal human resources, medical and business continuity aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic and was also instrumental in the design of the Commission’s new HR Strategy. He also played a central role in developing the Greening Strategy of the European Commission in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal.
Earlier in his career, he headed a number of units in DG HR. He also worked for several years in the Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP) as acting Head of Unit, and before as Case manager and Case Handler. He joined the Commission in 1997 in the European Statistical Office, after having worked in private law firms.
Source – EU Commission