Brussels – The European Commission appointed seven Directors and an externally recruited Member of the Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB), four of whom are women:
- Ms Alexandra Panagakou as Director for Interpreters in its department for Interpretation (DG SCIC). Ms Panagakou, a Greek national, joined the Commission in 1991 as an interpreter, is currently serving as acting Director of the Directorate for Provision of Interpretation and is heading the unit for Professional Support for Interpreters;
- Mr Jean-David Malo as Director for Open Innovation and Open Science in its department for Research and Innovation (DG RTD). Mr Malo, a French national, joined the Commission in 2001 and is now head of unit for SMEs, Financial Instruments and State Aids at DG RTD;
- Mr Herald Ruijters as Director for European Mobility Network in its department for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE). Mr Ruijters, a Dutch national, works in the Commission since 1997, is currently serving as acting Director of the Directorate for Investment, Innovative & Sustainable Transport and is heading the unit for Transport Networks;
- Ms Dana Spinant as Director for Budget and General Affairs in its department for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO). Ms Spinant, a Romanian national, entered the Commission in 2009 and is currently head of unit for irregular migration and return policy at DG HOME;
- Ms Veronika Veits as Director for Fisheries Policy Mediterranean and Black Sea in its department for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE). Ms Veits, an Austrian national, joined the Commission in 1996 and is currently heading the unit in charge of WTO coordination, OECD, Export Credits and Dual Use at DG TRADE;
- Ms Maria Martin-Prat as Director for Services and Investment, Intellectual Property and Public Procurement in its department for Trade (DG TRADE). Ms Martin-Prat, a Spanish national, works in the Commission since 1995 and is currently heading the unit in charge of copyright at DG CNECT;
- Mr Thomas Gageik as Director for Digital Business Solutions in its Department for Informatics (DG DIGIT). Mr Gageik, a German national, is joining the Commission from the private sector, having worked in the area of IT services since 1988;
- Mr Andreas Kopp, a German national, as an externally recruited Member of the Regulatory Scrutiny Board; Mr Kopp is currently Lead Economist Transport at the World Bank and has been working in the field of economics since 1980.
The first four new assignments take effect immediately, while the starting dates for last four appointments will be determined later.
