Archives

Mr. Romeo Mikautadze

Working Experience

28 December, 2021 –  Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia

2019 – 2021  –  Director, LLC Tbilservice Group

2018 – 2019 –   Director, LLC Energotrans

2018  –  Director, Georgian Energy Development (GEDF)

2018 –  Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (Energy Sector Curator)

2017 – 2018 – Deputy Minister, Ministry of Energy of Georgia

2013 – 2017 –  Director General, SC UES SAKRUSENERGO

2010 – 2017 –  Deputy Director General, SC UES SAKRUSENERGO

2009 – 2010 – Head of Procurement Division, SC UES SAKRUSENERGO

2009 – Deputy Director General, JSC Khramhesi-1, JSC Khramhesi-2 Cascade (Inter Rao)

2009 – Advisor to Director General, SC UES SAKRUSENERGO

2008 – 2009 – Deputy Director General, LLC Geoincors, (Energy sector supervisor – Chkhorotskuhesi, Kinkishahesi, Rusmetali)

2006 – 2008 – Deputy Director General, Technical Director, Zahesi 2006

2005 – 2006 –  Deputy Director General, Vartsikhe HPP Cascades

2004 – 2005 – Chief Advisor to Minister, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

2004 – 2005 –  Advisor to Minister, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

2004 – Deputy Head, Energy Supervision and Heat Quality Department

2003 – 2004  – Head of Office, Deputy Head of Division, Head of Division, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia

 

Education

1999 – 2003 –  Bachelor’s Degree, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Faculty of Diplomacy and International Relations

2003 – 2004 –  Master’s Degree, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Faculty of Diplomacy and International Relations

2004 – 2005 –  State Security Service Academy of Georgia

 

Awards

2012 – State Award – Order of Honor for the project implemented in the energy sector – construction of 110 kW power transmission line for Jakhunderi-Mestia (project manager)

Mr. Costis Stambolis

Costis Stambolis is the Executive Director of the Institute of Energy for SE Europe (IENE) and its current Chairman. He has a background in Physics and Architecture having studied at the University of London, the North East London Polytechnic (NELP) and the Architectural Association in London from where he holds a Graduate Diploma in Architecture and Energy Studies (AA Dip. Grad). He also holds a professional practice license from the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE), and a Masters Degree from the Said Business School, University of Oxford, where he studied “Strategy and Innovation”.

Costis has carried out numerous projects on Renewable Energy Sources in developing countries. He has consulted widely on solar building applications for both private and institutional clients in various European countries. Furthermore, he has worked as a consultant and strategy advisor on natural gas, oil markets and energy security issues for large multinational companies, international organizations and governments.

Costis has lectured widely on energy issues and has organized several national, regional and international conferences, seminars and workshops. He has published several books, edited conference proceedings, and authored research papers. Among others he is the editor of  the “S.E. Europe Energy Outlook (2011,2017, 2022)”, which is considered a basic reference on energy for SE Europe.

Since 2001 he manages Greece’s foremost energy site www.energia.gr. He is a founding member of the Institute of Energy for South East Europe (IENE). He is a member of the Energy Institute (UK), the International Passive House Association (IPHA), and The Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE). Since 2018 he also serves as a full member of the Greek government’s standing committee on Energy and Climate Change (NECP).

Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst

Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst is the European Foreign Service Managing Director EUROPE since September 2021. Before, she was the acting Managing Director then the Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia (2019-2021), the Deputy Managing Director/Director for Western Europe, Western Balkans and Turkey and the Chief Negotiator for the EU-facilitated Belgrade Pristina Dialogue (2015-2019).

Since 1996, Ms Eichhorst has served with the European Union at different external relations Directorates General in Brussels, Jordan and Syria. In Lebanon, she was the EU Ambassador/Head of Delegation (2011-2015). She also worked in Egypt, Somalia and New York with the private sector, the United Nations, research institutes and non-governmental organizations (1989-1996).

Born in the Netherlands, Ms. Eichhorst holds a Master Degree in languages and cultures of the Middle East and in International Relations. She also holds postgraduate diplomas in international law, human rights and the law of international organizations. She freely converses in Dutch, English, French, German and Arabic, and has a good understanding of Italian and Spanish.

Mr. Umberto de Pretto

Umberto de Pretto took up office as Secretary General of IRU in June 2013. He joined IRU in 1995 as Head of Economic Affairs. He then became Policy Coordinator and subsequently Head of Strategy, and was appointed Deputy Secretary General in 2002.

His vision looking forward is that IRU will lead the road transport industry in embracing innovation and ensuring that the industry is ready for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

After graduating from Ottawa’s Carleton University in Political Science and  International  Relations,  he worked as a Legislative Assistant for Ministers and Members of the Canadian Parliament. In 1992, he moved to Paris to take on the position of Head of the Transport Division of the International Chamber of Commerce. Shortly after he was named Deputy Director, responsible for International Commercial Practices and Techniques.

Born in Ottawa in 1961, Mr. de Pretto is a Canadian and Italian citizen, happily married, and a proud father of two boys.

Mr. Zdenko Lucić

Zdenko Lucić, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs has more than 15 years of experience in attracting and facilitating domestic and foreign investments, regional and local development, as well as business processes. He has extensive knowledge and experience in Croatian public and private sectors.

Zdenko started his professional career as the founder of a company specializing in marketing and business process development. After that, he first worked in the Trade and Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Croatia, after which he moved to the Ministry of Economy. During his assignment in Ministry of Economy he helped to form numerous important legal acts in the field of investments.

In 2012 he became Acting Director of the Agency for Investments and Competitiveness in charge of establishing the Agency, setting up business processes, and developing operational strategy. He served as Director for Sector for Investments and Managing Director afterward. During his term of office, the Agency has won international awards for the best Investment Project in Eastern Europe three years in a row (2014, 2015 and 2016).

In 2019 Zdenko assumed the position of State Secretary for Investments, PPP, and Competitiveness at the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts.

In the Autumn 2020 he was appointed as State Secretary for Economic Diplomacy and Trade Policy at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

He was also Member of the Supervisory Board of Croatian Energy Market Operator (HROTE) and a National Coordinator in Croatia for the European Fund for Strategic Investments (Juncker investment plan).

Zdenko Lucić, was born in 1982. In 2005 he graduated with high honors from the Rochester Institute of Technology, NY, USA and he completed MBA Postgraduate Study at the University of Zagreb, Croatia. He speaks English and uses the German language.

Mr. Peter Svec

EDUCATION

1988 -1995 University of Economics in Bratislava, Faculty of Business Management

 

EMPLOYMENT

2022 – present Ministry of Economy of The Slovak Republic State secretary

2006 – 2022, Stellantis Slovakia (PCA Slovakia, s.r.o.), Director for External Relations and Spokesperson

2003 – 2006, Heineken Slovensko, a.s. Member of the Senior Management Platform, Spokesperson

2001 – 2003, Slovenska sporitel’na, a.s. Member of Senior Management, Director of Marketing, Spokesperson of treBoard

1998 – 2001, Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic, Spokesperson

1995 -1998, TREND, weekly economic journal, Reporter and Commentator

 

STUDY STAYS

2000, Freedom House, 10-week fellowship

 

LANGUAGES

English, French: Advanced

German, Russian: Limited working proficiency

 

ORGANIZATIONS

2005-2006, Slovak Association for Branded Products, Chairman of the Board

2005- 2009, Slovak Spokespersons’ Association, Chairman, co-founder

2017 – 2020, Industrial Innovation Cluster, Secretary-General

2020- 2022, Automotive Industry Association of the Slovak Republic, Member of the Executive Committee

2000-2022, ICEJ Slovensko, o. z.

 

Bratislava, November 2022

Ambassador Xiao Junzheng

Male, born in March 1970, Ji’an, Jiangxi Province, and holds a PhD degree in history

1997-1998     Assistant Research Fellow, China Institute of International Studies

1998-2002     Third Secretary, Second Secretary, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Iran

2002-2003     Assistant Research Fellow, China Institute of International Studies

2003-2008     Second   Secretary,    Deputy    Division    Chief,    Division    Chief,   the Department of West Asian and North African Affairs, MFA

2008-2012     Counselor, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Turkey

2012-2019     Counselor, Deputy Director General, the Department of West Asian and North African Affairs, MFA

2019-2021     Minister Counselor, Minister, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Arab Republic of Egypt

2021-             Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Hellenic Republic

Married

Dr. Christos Dimas

Dr Christos Dimas is the Deputy Minister for Development and Investments in charge of Research and Innovation. He is a lawyer and Member of the Hellenic Parliament representing New Democracy in the district of Korinthia.

Before entering politics, he worked in the private sector as a business consultant for The Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

He was born on the 29th of May 1980. He graduated from the Law School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Queen Mary University in London.

He completed his Master Degree in Comparative Politics at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He then finished his PhD in European Political Economy from the LSE, with a scholarship from the Alexander Onassis Foundation.

Parallel to his studies, he worked as a correspondent in London for Apogevmatini newspaper while also practicing journalism at the BBC.

At the age of 25 he was a teaching assistant at the LSE while teaching at ICON College in the University of Leicester and was a research fellow at the Jean Monnet European Center of Excellence.

He was elected as an MP in the district of Korinthia, with New Democracy in the May 2012 elections and has been re-elected ever since.

In his spare time he enjoys playing football and basketball and reading history books

Ms. Alia El-Yassir

Ms. Alia El-Yassir (Canada) has been working with UN Women since 1997. Prior to assuming her role as Regional Director a.i for the Europe and Central Asia Regional Office, she was the Deputy Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Regional Office and UN Women Special Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), managing a complex portfolio of programmes and projects, as well as supporting the UNCT and HCT on establishing coordination mechanisms for tackling gender equality and women’s empowerment issues. She is part of the UNDG roster of gender experts and has supported other UNCTs in this capacity.

Before joining UN Women, she briefly worked with UNDP and was engaged in the education field. In addition to volunteering with a number of women’s and human rights NGOs, she has worked on educational media for children.

Alia El-Yassir graduated from McGill University in Montreal and pursued post-graduate studies in Education and Anthropology, with a specialization on Gender Studies at Ben Gurion University of the Negev.

Ambassador Lazar Comanescu

Ambassador Lazãr COMÃNESCU (born in 1949), is a graduate of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (BUES) and a PhD in international economics of the same university. He also graduated the Sorbonne course of “Langue et civilisation françaises contemporaines”. He worked, from 1972 to 1982, in the in the Romanian Ministry of Foreign (Department of International Economic Organizations) then, from 1982 to 1990 as a lecturer Professor at BUES.

Back to the MFA in early 1990, he was deputy head of the Mission of Romania to the European Community in Brussels until November 1994 after which, until March 1998, he served successively as director general and Secretary of State for European and Euro-Atlantic affairs in the MFA. From March 1998 to May 2001, he was Ambassador to NATO and from May 2001 to April 2008 Ambassador to the EU. In April – December 2008 he was Minister of Foreign Affairs, and from 2009 to 2015Ambassador to Germany. Back to Bucharest in February 2015 he served until mid-November as Diplomatic Adviser to the President of Romania and from November 2015 to January 2017 again as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Subsequently, until June 2020, he was Senior Adviser (foreign relations) with the Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Ambassador COMÃNESCU has been awarded with:

* Order of Loyal Service with Great Cross (Romania):
* Grosses Verdienstkreuz (Germany);
* Légion d’Honneur au Grade d’Officer (France)

Ambassador COMÃNESCU has also been a member of the Scientific boards of two Romanian Think-Tanks: European Institue and New Strategy Center”.

Ambassador COMÃNESCU was elected for a three-year term-in-office by the BSEC Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs as the Secretary General of the Permanent International Secretariat of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC PERMIS), assuming his duties on 1 July 2021.-