The European Policy Centre (EPC) is pleased to announce that Ricardo Borges de Castro and Aileen McLeod are joining the organisation as Associate Directors.
Their experience, insights and expertise will be a great addition to the team, and further advance the EPC’s mission to champion and improve European integration. In taking up these new roles, each overseeing multiple projects and programmes, Ricardo and Aileen will strengthen the EPC’s ability to connect the dots across different policy areas, and enhance the organisation’s power to bring together decision-makers and innovative thinkers from diverse backgrounds.
They will also be part of the EPC management team, working closely with Chief Executive Fabian Zuleeg and Director of Studies Janis A. Emmanouilidis to help set out the EPC’s strategic direction.
Ricardo served as Adviser on Strategic Foresight to the European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC), the European Commission’s in-house think tank. Before his tenure at the EPSC, he was a Member of Cabinet and Personal Assistant to José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, as well as spokesperson for ‘Europe and the World’ at the Commission.
At the EPC, he will focus on the Union’s external relations in a rapidly evolving world, building on our existing work on strategic autonomy. As he did in his previous positions, he hopes to introduce more strategic foresight into all aspects of the EPC’s work.
“I am humbled and excited to join such an extraordinary community of thought leadership, at a time that is challenging, but also full of opportunities”, Ricardo said about his appointment.
Aileen was a Scottish Member of the European Parliament until 31 January 2020. She is also a former Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South Scotland region and served as the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform in the Scottish Government between 2014 and 2016.
In her new role at the EPC, she will work on developing the concept of the economy of well-being, linking up the EPC’s research on health, social equality, sustainability and economic governance: “In a way, well-being has been a recurring theme throughout my career. I am eager to get started at the EPC and continue my pursuit of putting people’s well-being and the planet’s health at the centre of all policymaking.”
On the new additions to the EPC team, Chief Executive Fabian Zuleeg said: “As we transition into a new decade and, hopefully, into a new normal after an unprecedented period of turmoil, the EPC is looking to what’s next. The post-COVID policy world will need new, bold ideas and practical, evidence-based solutions. These appointments will increase our capacity to deliver those to policymakers, and to impact critical EU policy discussions, in Brussels and beyond.”
Ricardo Borges De Castro starts on 1 February, while Aileen McLeod will join the EPC later this month.