Memo: Commission President Barroso names new Head of his Cabinet, Deputy Head of his Cabinet and Commission Spokeswoman

On 28 October 2009 Commission President Barroso named Mr Johannes Laitenberger, currently Head of the Commission's Spokesperson's Service and Commission Spokesman, as new Head of his Cabinet, as of 1 November 2009. Mr Laitenberger succeeds Mr João Vale de Almeida, who was appointed earlier this year as the Commission's Director-General for External Relations and who will take up his new role on 1 November 2009. Mr Vale de Almeida will continue to personally assist the President in the capacity of G8/G20 sherpa. Mr Fernando Frutuoso de Melo, currently Director in the Commission's Secretariat General, will take over as Deputy Head of the Cabinet, also on 1 November 2009. He succeeds Mr Jean-Claude Thébault, who was today appointed as a Deputy Secretary General of the Commission, taking up his role also on 1 November 2009. Ms Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, currently Deputy Spokeswoman of the Commission, will on 1 November 2009 take over as Commission Spokeswoman, succeeding Mr Laitenberger.

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