The European Commission has decided today to appoint Yvo Volman as Director for the ‘Data’ Directorate in the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT).
This Directorate develops and implements policies to make Europe fit for the digital age. The Dutch national will build on his 24 years of experience in managing complex legal and policy issues related to Data within the European Commission and on his sound knowledge of EU policies in the field of Information and Communications Technology as well as his management skills.
Yvo Volman is currently Acting Director of the ‘Data’ Directorate as well as Head of the Unit ‘Data Policy and Innovation’ and is notably in charge of implementing the European Strategy for Data, including the Data Governance Act, the Data Act, the Open Data policy, and the development of common European data spaces. Previously, he was Head of the ‘Common Portal and Open Data Portal’ unit in the EU Publications office, after having been Deputy Head of the ‘Data Value Chain’ unit in DG CNECT, and the ‘Access to Information’ unit in the Directorate-General for Information Society and Media. Prior to joining the Commission in 1998, he worked as Policy advisor in the ‘Policy Planning and Analysis’ unit in the Directorate-General for Industry in the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.
The European Commission has also appointed Mari Anneli Juritsch as Principal Adviser in the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME). She will occupy the function of ‘Return Coordinator’. She will be in charge of establishing an effective and common European return system, based on stronger legal, operational and governance pillars, in cooperation with and between Member States. Her proven advisory skills, including solid experience in coordinating teams dealing with sensitive matters, her management and advanced negotiation skills make her highly suitable for this position. Mari Anneli Juritsch, a Finnish national, is currently Head of ‘Vulnerability Assessment’ Unit in the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX). Before she headed the ‘Strategic Analysis Sector’ unit in the same agency where she developed and implemented strategic risk analysis activities in the field of border management. Prior to that, she had been First Officer and Second Officer in Europol, where she coordinated Europol activities linked to major international events’ security and developed the methodology for the EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report. Before joining the Commission in 2001, she was a Senior Analyst for Finnish Security Intelligence Services.
The date of effect of both appointments is to be determined later.