The European Commission has decided today to appoint Stéphanie Riso as Director-General for its Directorate-General for Budget (DG BUDG). This Commission department is responsible for managing the budget of the European Union. This includes proposing and implementing the financial framework, as well as collecting the resources that EU countries have agreed to contribute, and undertaking all market operations on behalf of the Union budget. The decision will take effect on February 16, 2023.
Stéphanie Riso, a French national, has over 20 years of first-hand experience in dealing with EU budgetary and financial matters in the Commission. Her thorough knowledge of the mechanics and structure of the EU budget together with her deep understanding of financial market operations will be key in her new position. She is also equipped with remarkably advanced negotiation skills acquired through a variety of high-stake negotiations where she represented the European Commission, including in the context of Brexit. Throughout her career, she demonstrated her capacity to think creatively and strategically when facing policy challenges and to provide a clear vision and leadership on strategic matters, including on the long-term EU budget and NextGenerationEU over the previous years.
Stéphanie Riso is currently Deputy Head of Cabinet of President von der Leyen, responsible for the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework, the coordination of economic policy and the relations with the United Kingdom and Switzerland. From 2016 until 2019, she was Director in charge of the strategy, coordination and communication of the Task Force for the negotiations with the UK, providing strategic and operational advice to Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier. Prior to that, she was Head of Unit in charge of the Multiannual Financial Framework in DG BUDG and before Head of unit ‘Fiscal policy and surveillance’ in the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN). She served as Deputy Head of Cabinet and Cabinet Member of two Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioners Rehn and Almunia. Before joining DG ECFIN in 2000 as an economist, she worked as a market analyst in the banking sector.