ELIAMEP is pleased to announce that, as of 1 September 2025, Dr Elena Lazarou will assume the position of Director General of the Foundation.
Dr Lazarou brings extensive experience in European and international affairs. For the past ten years, she worked at the European Parliament, where she also served as Head of the External Policies Unit at the European Parliamentary Research Service, with responsibilities in strategic planning and oversight of research in key areas of foreign policy, international relations and defence. She also engages in research collaborations with leading institutions, including Chatham House and the Bertelsmann Foundation. She has a distinguished international career in the think tank and academic sectors. She has served as Head of the Center for International Relations at Fundação Getulio Vargas in Brazil – Latin America’s leading think tank – and Assistant Professor of International Relations and European Studies at the Getulio Vargas Foundation University. She has also worked as a researcher for the University of Cambridge, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the University of Sheffield. Dr Lazarou holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge and she is a graduate in Political Science from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She has an extensive record of publications and has actively participated in ELIAMEP’s research and public engagement activities in recent years. She is fluent in four European languages.
ELIAMEP would like to express its profound appreciation to Professor Maria Gavouneli for her excellent cooperation and invaluable contribution during her tenure as Director General. Under her leadership, the Foundation enhanced its presence in public discourse, launched significant new initiatives, and broadened its network of partnerships. Professor Gavouneli will continue as member of the Board of Directors of ELIAMEP.
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