The Ombudsman's Team

The Ombudsman's Team

To ensure that the institution can properly carry out the twin tasks of dealing with complaints in all 23 Treaty languages and of raising awareness about the right to complain, the Ombudsman has a well-qualified, multilingual staff. This section contains a full list of staff members and their job titles.

European Ombudsman

P. Nikiforos Diamandouros
European Ombudsman

Cabinet of the European Ombudsman

The Ombudsman's Cabinet (private office) provides advice to the Ombudsman on relations with the other EU institutions and on aspects of the Ombudsman's case-work. The Cabinet undertakes a range of administrative tasks, including managing the Ombudsman's agenda and correspondence, coordinating with other units in the Ombudsman's Office, and dealing with matters of protocol. Cabinet members also contribute to the drafting of speeches and articles, and represent the Ombudsman at meetings, seminars, and workshops.

Zina Assimakopoulou
Head of Cabinet

Nicholas Catephores
Adviser to the European Ombudsman

Christina Karakosta
Adviser to the European Ombudsman

Patricia López Martín
Assistant in the European Ombudsman's Cabinet

Maria Psarrou
Assistant in the European Ombudsman's Cabinet

Secretariat-General

The Secretary-General is responsible for providing policy advice to the Ombudsman, for strategic management and direction, and for ensuring overall coordination.

Ian Harden
Secretary-General

Murielle Richardson
Adviser to the Secretary-General

Philipp-Maximilian Chaimowicz
Assistant to the Secretary-General

Communication Unit

The Communication Unit reports to the Ombudsman and to the Secretary-General. It is responsible for informing individuals and organisations throughout the Union of the role and activities of the Ombudsman.
The Unit maintains and promotes relations with the media, organises the Ombudsman's information visits and events, and liaises with other EU institutions on outreach initiatives.
It drafts and produces the Ombudsman's publications and promotional material, maintains and develops the Ombudsman's websites, implements the institution's visual identity, coordinates the European Network of Ombudsmen and, more generally, is responsible for relations with ombudsman associations in Europe and beyond.

Ben Hagard
Head of the Communication Unit

Gundi Gadesmann
Media and External Relations Officer

Marc Kamran Amir-Tahmasseb
Web Developer

Sylvie Debout
Publications Assistant

Kelly Koundouri
Administrative Assistant

Jean Lusweti
Editorial Assistant

Marina Ramazanova
Administrative Assistant

Gabrielle Sheridan
Administrative Assistant

Christelle Therouse
Administrative Assistant

Alfredo Pinto Ribeiro
Web Developer Trainee

Directorate A

Directorate A comprises two units responsible for dealing with complaints and inquiries and one Unit responsible for support activities – the Registry.
Directorates A and B are supported by two Lawyer-Linguists and one Assistant.

João Sant'Anna
Director

Maria Depasquale
Lawyer-Linguist

Giovanna Fragapane
Assistant to the Directors

Complaints and Inquiries Unit 1

The Complaints and Inquiries Units deal with the complaints sent to the Ombudsman. They conduct the inquiries needed to clarify possible cases of maladministration, look for solutions, and prepare draft recommendations, decisions closing inquiries, and special reports to the European Parliament. The Units also propose and carry out inquiries that are based on the Ombudsman's own-initiative power, and deal with Queries sent by other members of the European Network of Ombudsmen.

Marta Hirsch-Ziembińska
Head of Complaints and Inquiries Unit

Juliano Franco
Legal Officer

Marjorie Fuchs
Legal Officer

Alina Nedea
Legal Officer

Anca Raluca Cristina Traşcǎ
Legal Officer

Marcin Derkacz
Legal Trainee

Zuzana Vaníčková
Legal Trainee

Complaints and Inquiries Unit 2

The Complaints and Inquiries Units deal with the complaints sent to the Ombudsman. They conduct the inquiries needed to clarify possible cases of maladministration, look for solutions, and prepare draft recommendations, decisions closing inquiries, and special reports to the European Parliament. The Units also propose and carry out inquiries that are based on the Ombudsman's own-initiative power, and deal with Queries sent by other members of the European Network of Ombudsmen.

Fergal Ó Regan
Head of Complaints and Inquiries Unit

Olivier Verheecke
Principal Legal Adviser

Rosita Agnew
Legal Officer

Daniel Koblencz
Legal Officer

Tina Nilsson
Legal Officer

Registry

The Registry deals with the registration, distribution, and transmission of all documents received or sent by the office. It is also in charge of the Ombudsman's archives and library, and the development and implementation of a public register of documents. The Registry is also responsible for dealing with the complaints that fall outside the Ombudsman's mandate.

Peter Bonnor
Head of the Registry

Christophe Bauer
Assistant to the Head of the Registry

Oualiba Makhloufia
Assistant to the Head of the Registry

Séverine Beyer
Administrative Assistant

Bruno Alexandre Bismarque-Alcântara
Administrative Assistant

Ana Bismarque Gaspar
Administrative Assistant

Evelyne Bouttefroy
Administrative Assistant

Juan Manuel Mallea Jiménez
Administrative Assistant

Carolina Marín Vargas *
Complaint Handler

Christophe Walravens
Administrative Assistant

Michael Weiskorn *
Administrative Assistant

Caroline Zinck
Administrative Assistant

Directorate B

Directorate B comprises two units responsible for dealing with complaints and inquiries and one Unit responsible for support activities – the Personnel, Administration, and Budget Unit.
Directorates A and B are supported by two Lawyer-Linguists and one Assistant.

Gerhard Grill
Director

Maria Depasquale
Lawyer-Linguist

Giovanna Fragapane
Assistant to the Directors

Complaints and Inquiries Unit 3

The Complaints and Inquiries Units deal with the complaints sent to the Ombudsman. They conduct the inquiries needed to clarify possible cases of maladministration, look for solutions, and prepare draft recommendations, decisions closing inquiries, and special reports to the European Parliament. The Units also propose and carry out inquiries that are based on the Ombudsman's own-initiative power, and deal with Queries sent by other members of the European Network of Ombudsmen.

Gerhard Grill
Acting Head of Complaints and Inquiries Unit

Vukašin Lončarević
Legal Officer

Martín Martínez Navarro
Legal Officer

Katrin Metz-van Ißem
Legal Officer

Kristina Wittkopp
Legal Trainee

Complaints and Inquiries Unit 4

The Complaints and Inquiries Units deal with the complaints sent to the Ombudsman. They conduct the inquiries needed to clarify possible cases of maladministration, look for solutions, and prepare draft recommendations, decisions closing inquiries, and special reports to the European Parliament. The Units also propose and carry out inquiries that are based on the Ombudsman's own-initiative power, and deal with Queries sent by other members of the European Network of Ombudsmen.

Bernhard Hofstötter
Acting Head of Complaints and Inquiries Unit

Antonios Antoniadis
Legal Officer

Violetta Dimova
Legal Officer

Emanuele Rebasti
Legal Officer

Eija Salonen
Legal Officer

Personnel, Administration, and Budget Unit

The Personnel, Administration, and Budget Unit is the internal service provider of the Ombudsman's Office. The Unit is responsible for all administrative matters related to the institution's personnel, human resources, budget, and finance. It also represents the institution in a number of interinstitutional committees.
As regards personnel and human resources, the Unit deals with recruitment, management of individual rights, internal communication, and training.
As regards other administrative matters, the Unit deals with buildings, office space and equipment, and coordinates translation requests. Furthermore, it is responsible for the institution's IT resources, including in-house development and maintenance of software applications specifically designed for the needs of the Ombudsman's services.
As regards budget and finance, the Unit prepares the budget estimates for presentation to the Budget authorities and ensures that the Ombudsman's Office complies with the applicable financial rules. It guarantees that available resources are used economically and efficiently, and are protected adequately. Additionally, the Unit establishes and implements the appropriate internal control mechanisms and prepares information for the various budgetary control authorities.

Loïc Julien
Head of the Personnel, Administration, and Budget Unit

Alessandro Del Bon
Deputy Head of the Personnel, Administration, and Budget Unit - Legal adviser

Véronique Vandaele
Finance and Budget Analyst

Cindy de Carvalho-Giannakis *
Administrative Support Officer

Kevin Crespo Gao *
Administrative Support Officer

Rachel Doell
Administrative Assistant

Massimo Ezzy
Information Technology Officer

Jean-Pierre Feroumont
Financial Assistant

Isabelle Foucaud
Administrative Assistant

Isgouhi Krikorian
Administrative Assistant

Gaël Lambert
Information Technology Officer

Stéphanie Maraj
Financial Assistant

Charles Mebs
Administrative Assistant

Félicia Voltzenlogel
Administrative Assistant

Emese Waltz
Financial Assistant

Data Protection Officer

Rosita Agnew
Data Protection Officer

 

 

* Denotes contractual agent