On 25 July, the European Commission announced that Roberto Viola has been appointed deputy director-general for DG Communications Networks, Content and Technology and will be in charge of Directorates B, D, F and G (DDG2). Viola is currently secretary-general of the Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni (the regulator and competition authority for the communication industries in Italy).

On 1 August, Klaus Rudischhauser will take up his new post of deputy director-general of DG Development and Cooperation and will be responsible for the coordination of Directorates B, C and D (DGA1). Currently, Rudischhauser is director of Directorate B (Quality and Impact) of DG EuropeAid. Prior to coming to the Commission, he worked at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and headed a consultancy in Brussels.

Marcus Cornaro (Austrian) has also been appointed deputy director-general of DG Development and Cooperation responsible for coordination of Directorates E, F, G and H (DGA2). This will take effect on 1 August.  Cornaro has been director for neighbourhood for the last five years. He has 25 years’ experience in development cooperation and financial assistance. He worked for the Austrian Foreign Ministry and in Asia (head of EU Delegation to Vietnam).

On 16 September, Florika Fink-Hooijer (Germany), who has been appointed director for strategy, policy and international cooperation (Directorate ECHO.A) in DG Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection, will take up her post. She has spent much of her career in crisis management and conflict prevention. She is currently the head of cabinet of Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva.