Two deputy directors-general appointed in DG Competition

Alexander Italianer appoints deputy directors-general for antitrust and mergers.

The European Commission has appointed two deputy directors-general in its competition department, allowing Alexander Italianer, the director-general, to implement a restructuring.

Italianer is reasserting an earlier division of labour between deputy directors-general, with one each for anti-trust, mergers and state aid.

Philip Lowe, the previous director-general, had merged the mergers and antitrust posts while making one deputy director-general responsible for operations.

Cecilio Madero Villarejo, who has been acting deputy director-general for antitrust and mergers since November 2010, has been made deputy director-general for antitrust. The Spaniard, who most recently has been director for the department’s information, communication and media, had previously headed up the Commission’s antitrust investigations into Microsoft and Intel. His appointment takes effect on 15 May.

Bernd Langeheine, who is currently director for e-communications policy in the Commission’s information society and media department, has been appointed deputy director-general for mergers, with effect from 1 June.

The third deputy director-general is Gert-Jan Koopman, who was appointed in October last year and is responsible for state-aid policy. It was in October that Nadia Calviño, the former deputy director-general for mergers and antitrust, was appointed a deputy director-general for the internal market. Another vacancy had been created when Lowri Evans, the department’s deputy director-general for operations, was appointed director-general for maritime policy and fisheries.