Wolfgang Schläger has started his new role as leading representative of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) at the European Union (EU) in Brussels.
Mr Schläger said: “I am delighted to join the EBRD at this critical point, when we are facing unprecedented challenges like overcoming the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath, addressing the climate emergency and ensuring sustainable development in and beyond Europe. These tasks require joint efforts by the EU institutions together with key partners such as the EBRD, a multilateral institution with a European core. It is my goal to work with my colleagues in Brussels and at the whole EBRD to contribute to this effort.”
Mr Schläger, a German citizen, joins the Bank from the European Commission where he held various senior positions, most recently within the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations. Having started in the cabinet of Günter Verheugen, the first EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Mr Schläger also spent several years in the EU Delegation in Mauritania, was Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation in Turkey, managed the EU pre-accession funds for Albania and led the Western Balkans Investment Framework team for six years.
As head of the EBRD Brussels office, Mr Schläger succeeds Florentine Hopmeier who now works in the cabinet of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.