Today’s Movers & Shakers are about: Former Belgian MEP looks likely to return to Parliament, the new president of the Spinelli Group, Commission president gets a new communications adviser, Romania's new minister for the environment, the latest Commission, public affairs appointments, and more!
European Parliament
Incoming
It is looking likely that former Belgian MEP Tom Vandenkendelaere could succeed Kris Peeters (EPP, BE) as the latter eyes a top position at the European Investment Bank (EIB). Vandenkendelaere served during Parliament’s eighth legislature as a member of the EPP group. Before standing down, he was a member of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) as well as the Australia and New-Zealand Delegation (D-ANZ). Vandenkendelaere had been on track to join Belgapom, the Belgian potato trade and processing industry association as CEO, however the alderman for Roeselare has set his sights on Brussels. He is expected to take up his seat at the beginning of 2021.
MEP news
Brando Benifei (S&D, IT) has been appointed president of the Spinelli Group, one of Parliament’s informal intergroups. The group is made up of MEPs from different groups whose aim it is to reform the European Union in a federal sense. Previous presidents of the group include Guy Verhofstadt (RE, BE), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (FR) and Andrew Duff (UK). Benifei is also currently vice-president of the International European Movement (Emi) and has long been associated with the European Federalist Movement (Mfe). The rotation of the group’s presidency is expected to take place every nine months.
European Commission
Commissioner cabinets
Directorates-General and Services
Budget
Yiannos Asimakis moves from Directorate C (Treasury, accounting and financial reporting) as head of unit, ABAC-user service management to Directorate R (Resources).
Alessandro Nucara joins Directorate D (Central Financial Service) as head of unit D1 (Coordination, partnership with Member States, Edes) in an acting capacity.
Emmanuelle Ott leaves her role as head of unit R3 (IT Development). She had been performing the role in an acting capacity.
Secretariat-General (SG)
Robert Andrecs leaves his role as head of unit B2 (Written, Empowerment & Delegation Procedures) leaving a vacant tenure. Andrecs becomes head of unit C5 (Digital Solutions and Process Efficiency) replacing Martin Gritsch.
Gritsch moves to head of unit B4 (Working Methods & Decision-making Process) filling a vacant tenure.
Spokesperson’s Service (SPP)
Dirk von Holleben joins as a communications officer. He previously worked in Berlin’s ministry of defense.
Kinga Malinowska leaves her role as press officer for trade. She is replaced by Sophie Dirven. Dirven has previously worked within the Commission as a policy and communications assistant in the cabinet of former EU Commissioner for Trade, Phil Hogan.
Jördis Bunse also joins the team as a press officer for justice and consumers, equality and rule of law.
As of 9 November, Peter Mueller will join as communications adviser and speechwriter for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Public Affairs
365 Sherpas, Brussels
Reimund Simon has been appointed managing partner of the Brussels office, leaving his previous position as head of Brussels office of the German business association Wirtschaftsrat der CDU e.V.
EuropaBio
Claire Skentelbery has been appointed director-general as of 23 November. Skentelbery has extensive experience in the biotech sector as well as in leading a trade association having previously served as director-general of the Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA) since 2017.
Europa Insights
Simona Romeo has joined Europa Insights as a senior communication media and digital adviser. Romeo previously worked with Politico Europe as a Business Development Manager.
European Aluminium
Emilio Braghi, President Novelis Europe, has been re-elected as chair. The members also elected Philip Schlüter, CEO of TRIMET, as new vice-chair.
European Labour Authority
Deputy permanent representative of Romania to the EU, Cosmin Boiangiu, has been elected executive director. Boiangiu is expected to take office at the beginning of 2021, succeeding the executive director ad interim Jordi Curell Gotor, director of Labour Mobility at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion.
Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE)
Torben Brabo, CEO of Energinet Gas TSO, has been elected president for a 24-month term. Brabo succeeds ENGIE’s Jean-Marc Leroy who has served as GIE President since 2015.
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National News
Romania
Following the resignation of Costel Alexe, Mircea Fechet has been appointed minister for the environment. Since February this year, Fechet has served as Romania's representative at the European Environment Agency. Before this, he was Romania’s state secretary for the ministry of environment, waters and forests. Alexe resigned from his post after he was elected the president of the Iaşi County Council in the local elections.
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