Alex White appointed as Director General of the IIEA
IIEA Statement Monday 16 January 2023
The Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) is delighted to announce that Alex White has been appointed as Director General of the IIEA effective today, 16th January 2023.
Alex will take over from David O'Sullivan who served as IIEA Director General from April 2022 - January 2023. David leaves the Institute to take on a new role as International Special Envoy for the Implementation of EU Sanctions.
On departing the Institute, outgoing IIEA Director General David O’Sullivan said: “I am very honoured to be appointed to lead this new position within the European Commission, which will be an important resource for Europe as it seeks to ensure greater compliance with sanctions across the globe. While I am excited about this new opportunity, I am sorry to be leaving the Institute, as I have thoroughly enjoyed leading the Institute and working with the motivated and ambitious IIEA team. Nevertheless, I am confident that the Institute will continue to flourish in the capable hands of its new DG and the IIEA Board, to whom I owe many thanks for their consistent support and guidance since I took on the DG role.”
On his appointment, incoming IIEA Director General Alex White said: “I am delighted to be taking on the role of Director General of the IIEA. Having worked closely with the Institute over many years, it is a great honour to take up this leadership position in an organisation that I hold in such high esteem. Today, the Institute is thriving. Last year alone it welcomed over 10,000 attendees at over 125 events, produced nearly 40 publications and returned to in-person and hybrid events. Under David O’Sullivan’s tenure as DG, the Institute has grown its reputation internationally, so that it is now poised to become a leading European think tank. There is no doubt that challenges lie ahead. From the climate crisis, the ongoing war in Ukraine, to affronts to the rule of law across the European continent, the multilateral system faces threats from many angles. So the need for informed and productive debate could not be more clear, and the Institute’s work will continue to be vital. I am looking forward to working with the talented IIEA team and with our partners – old and new – in the important work of enriching public debate on Ireland’s role in the EU and on the global stage.”
IIEA Interim Chairperson and Board Member, Terence O'Rourke, said: "On behalf of the IIEA Board we would like to congratulate David on his appointment to such a crucial position, which will no doubt play a role in efforts to end the ongoing war on Ukraine. We would like to thank David for his leadership in a year of transition for the Institute and wish him every success in his new role.”
Terence added: “We are delighted to announce that Alex White will be the new Director General of the IIEA. Alex is a long-standing supporter and partner of the Institute, most recently in the capacity of Chair of the IIEA’s Climate and Energy Working Group, and as a co-author of IIEA research. Alex’s appointment follows a previous open recruitment process for a new DG. His experience as a government minister and as a public representative, as well as his long-standing commitment to the IIEA is unmatched. We are confident that Alex’s wide-ranging expertise in law, government, politics, climate, energy, and finance, mean that he is excellently positioned and uniquely equipped to lead the Institute in its next iteration.”
Alex White Biography
Alex White is a Senior Counsel at the Irish Bar. He was a TD from 2011 to 2016 , during which time he held the positions of Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources (2014 – 2016), Minister for Primary Care (2012 – 2014) and Committee Chair of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure & Reform (2011 – 2012). Prior to serving as a TD, Alex was a member of Seanad Eireann (2007 – 2011), a councillor with South Dublin County Council (2004 – 2007) and a radio producer with RTÉ (1984 – 1994). He is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and of the King’s Inns.
ENDS
Further Information:
The IIEA is Ireland’s leading independent think tank and policy research institute. It acts as a forum, bringing together stakeholders to discuss issues of national, European, and international significance.
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