Catherine Day replaced by Alexander Italianer
The rumours circulating for months have been confirmed. The European Commission's Secretary-General, 61-year-old Irish national Catherine Day, described as one of the most powerful women in Brussels, will be retiring after nearly ten years in this key post. She will be succeeded by Alexander Italianer, on 1 September. Italianer (Netherlands), aged 59 and currently director-general of DG Competition, one of the emblematic DGs, is an old hand at the Commission. Since joining the executive…
Wanted: Women
On gender balance, Georgieva readily admits that the situation remains unsatisfactory. As of 1 January 2016, of the 36 directors-general, there will be only seven women (or possible more if women are named to the three posts still to be filled in the meantime). In terms of geographical balance, the appointments do not bring any noteworthy changes in the nationalities of the directors-general. But the recruitment of ten deputy directors-general in the coming months will be strategic. Women will have to be found, a way of subsequently promoting them to director-general posts. There will consequently be external recruitments, explains Georgieva, since "this problem of lack of gender balance has to be addressed". Another problem also has to be tackled: the concomitant retirement of many senior officials from the EU earliest member states.
