David O’Sullivan appointed new Director General of the IIEA
IIEA Statement Wednesday 16 March 2022
The Institute of International and European Affairs is delighted to announce that David O’Sullivan has been appointed as the new IIEA Director General effective Monday, 4 April 2022.
David’s appointment follows an open recruitment process which commenced in December 2021. David takes over from Michael Collins who served as IIEA Director General from November 2019- January 2022.
On his appointment, incoming IIEA Director General David O’Sullivan said: “I am honoured to take on the role of IIEA Director General. At a time of unprecedented change in international affairs, it could not be more important to ensure that insightful, independent analysis of European and global affairs is provided to Irish policy makers, and to the Irish public.”
IIEA Chairperson, Ruairí Quinn said: “In recent years the IIEA has gone from strength to strength. Last year over 17,000 people attended our events, tuning in from over 40 countries. We have diversified our way of providing value to members, whilst always fulfilling our mission to Share Ideas and Shape Policy. The appointment of David O’Sullivan as the next IIEA DG will enable the Institute to continue to thrive and grow into a think tank of international stature. David’s track record of public service at European and international level is unparalleled and places him in a unique position to lead the Institute’s next chapter.”
Ruairí continued: “The IIEA board would like to thank Michael Collins for his tenure as Director General, from 2019 to 2022, and Donal de Buitléir, who has acted as Interim Director General since the end of January 2022.”
David O’Sullivan Biography
David O’Sullivan served as Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to the United States from November 2014 until February 2019. Prior to his appointment as Ambassador, he was the Chief Operating Officer of the EU's diplomatic service, the ‘European External Action Service’. He had previously held a number of senior positions within the European Commission include Director General for Trade (2005-2010); Secretary General of the European Commission (2000-2005); and Chief of Staff to Commission President Romano Prodi (1999-2000). Before joining the Commission, he started his career with the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (1977-1979). He is a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin and the College of Europe (Bruges), and holds Honorary Doctorates from the Dublin Institute of Technology and Trinity College Dublin.
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.
For further information you can contact IIEA Communications Director Hannah Deasy, at [email protected] or call +353 01 874 6756 | +353 87 7438253.
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