Brussels, 12 Ocotober 2022
The European Commission has decided today to appoint Renate Nikolay as Deputy Director-General for its Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT). This Commission department is responsible to develop a digital single market to generate smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in Europe.
Renate Nikolay, a German national, brings with her strong experience to represent the Commission at senior level and to negotiate at European and international level. She has also acquired a broad knowledge of EU policies, an advanced ability to lead the preparation of major regulatory initiatives and their inter-institutional negotiations as well as excellent management skills.
Since 2014, Renate Nikolay has been Head of Cabinet of Vice-President Vera Jourova, in charge of Values and Transparency, and before justice, consumers and gender equality. In this role, she advanced important projects in the area of media policy, digital transition, data privacy, consumer protection and rule of law. Prior to that, she was Head of the Unit ‘Interinstitutional and international relations’ in the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST).
Before, she was Advisor to High Representative and Vice-President Catherine Ashton. She also served as Member of Cabinet of Trade Commissioners Peter Mandelson and Catherine Ashton. Before joining the Commission in 2003 in the Directorate-General for Trade (DG TRADE), she worked as a Counsellor in charge of external trade policy in the German Permanent Representation in Brussels.