The FINANCIAL — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has appointed Gwilym Jones as head of its Representative Office in Brussels.
The Representative Office supports the Bank’s cooperation with the European Union (EU) and other European institutions with which it has close ties. It serves as a hub for the close coordination of activities between the EBRD and the EU, supports policy dialogue in areas of common interest and facilitates grant co-financing. The EU is founding member of the EBRD and owns a 3-per cent stake in the Bank.
Mr Jones previously worked in the European Commission’s Directorate General for Trade and in the Cabinet of the former Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, and before that in the private sector. He has extensive experience in international trade negotiations, the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, and has worked across the different EU Institutions and on broader outreach activities. He has notably been involved in negotiations to establish Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, to complete the WTO Doha Development Round and on the ongoing EU/US negotiation on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, according to EBRD.
“The EU is a key partner for the EBRD – both a founding member and vital donor, and EU policies have enormous impact in our countries of operations”, said Mr Jones. “There are natural synergies between us. The EBRD’s expertise and projects can make a major contribution to meeting the EU’s objectives in many priority areas. So we want to deepen our cooperation, both sectoral and geographic, and build a strategic partnership in areas of common interest.”
The EU is the largest donor to the Bank’s projects. In 2015 alone, it contributed €179 million, representing half of all donor contributions.
The EBRD cooperates with the EU from Morocco to Mongolia on a wide range of activities, including projects to mitigate the effects of climate change, to build a reliable and green infrastructure and to support the development of small businesses. The Bank’s presence in Brussels and common work with the EU are critical to spur sustainable development in the Bank’s region.
Mr Jones, a UK national, holds a BA in History & Modern Languages (Oxford University), a Diploma in Law (College of Law, London) and a MA in International Politics (Université Libre de Bruxelles). He is fluent in English, French, Italian, Spanish and Welsh.
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