Commission strengthens top management: New Director- General for DG JUSTICE and three Deputy Directors-General nominated

The European Commission has today decided to appoint, as of 1 February 2016, Tiina Astola as Director-General for Justice and Consumers. As of 16 December, Sixtine Bouygues and Margaritis Schinas will join the top management team of DG Communication as Deputy-Directors General. Finally, Claire Bury will move across from DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs to become Deputy Director- General of DG Communications Networks, Content and Technology as of 1 January 2016. All four managers will bring highly relevant expertise to their new jobs.

As Permanent Secretary at the Finnish Ministry of Justice since 2007 Ms Astola, a Finnish national, is the highest ranking official in the Ministry with overall responsibility for both international and domestic law matters. She studied law at the University of Turku, Finland and holds a master's degree from Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Throughout her career Ms Astola has held a variety of positions, including management posts, in the Ministries of Justice and of Finance. In particular, when she headed the European Law and later the Private Law teams at the Ministry of Justice, Ms Astola was involved in developing European law in important areas. Ms Astola will bring a sharp legal mind, excellent political skills and extensive management experience to her new assignment.

Both new Deputy-Directors General in DG Communication are seasoned communications experts and managers. Ms Bouygues, a French national, started her career as a translator and moved through the ranks across several departments. Ms Bouygues was responsible for communications in DG INFSO and, subsequently, shaped the Commission's corporate communications strategy as Director in DG Communication. The career of Mr Schinas, a Greek national, has been varied, including being a Deputy Head and Head of Cabinet to former Commissioners Loyola de Palacio and Markos Kyprianou i, serving as a Member of the European Parliament and heading DG ECFIN's Greece Operations in Athens. Mr Schinas is currently the Commission's Chief Spokesperson and will take on his new responsibilities in addition.

Ms Bury, a British national, started her Commission career in the Legal Service. She then gathered political experience as Deputy Head of Cabinet of former Commissioners Frits Bolkestein i and Charlie McCreevy i. From there, she broadened her expertise and management skills, holding various management positions in DG Internal Market and subsequently DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, covering many different aspects and areas of the internal market. Ms Bury will now bring those assets to Directorate-General Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT).

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