Georg E. Riekeles
Georg E. Riekeles is Associate Director at the Brussels-based think tank European Policy Centre (EPC). Prior to joining the EPC, he spent eleven years in the European Commission, the last five as diplomatic adviser with responsibilities for strategy in the EU-UK Brexit negotiations. He has also worked on trade, digital and single market polices, as well as security and defence issues, in the Commission’s in-house think tank and policy planning unit and as adviser to the Commission Vice-President for Internal market. He also has EU policy experience from the French Ministry of Foreign affairs and other government departments.
Before joining the EPC, Riekeles served as diplomatic adviser to the EU’s Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier and Head of strategy, media and diplomatic relations in the European Commission’s Task force for EU-UK negotiations.
Previously, Riekeles was an adviser for security and defence at the European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC), the European Commission’s in-house think tank. In that capacity he helped initiate and develop Commission initiatives in the areas of defence as part of President Juncker’s programme, and worked on EU-NATO relations.
He also served as member of cabinet to Commission Vice-President and commissioner Michel Barnier in the period 2010-2014, working on single market reforms, industrial and digital policies, as well as inter-institutional relations in the context of the post-financial crisis regulatory agenda.
Before moving to Belgium, Riekeles worked in the French Ministry of Foreign and European affairs and Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, as well as in the private and non-profit sectors in France.
Riekeles holds a master’s degree in political science from l’Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and studied economics and philosophy at the London School of Economics.
He appears and writes regularly in international media such as the Financial Times, the Economist, Project Syndicate and the Guardian, in addition to Brussels-based media and press.
Riekeles will take part of the panel discussion at Global Outlook 2023.