Mr. Fernando Frutuoso de Melo

Mr Fernando FRUTUOSO DE MELO, 59, is a Portuguese national and long-standing European Commission official. He was recruited in 1987 and has gained a wide experience in various policy areas and has been assuming important management responsibilities in the European Commission since more than 20 years. After 10 years in Directorate General (DG) Development he held functions in the Directorates General Human Resources and Fisheries, before joining, in 2004, the private office of Commissioner Olli Rehn, then responsible for the EU enlargement process. In 2006, he was appointed Director in the Secretariat General of the Commission with responsibilities for relations with the European Parliament and other EU entities. From  2009-2012 he was Deputy Head of the private office of European Commission President Barroso before becoming deputy director general in DG Human Resources and Security. Since November 2013 he heads the Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development, including staff working on development cooperation in more than 100 EU Delegations around the globe. Before joining the Commission he worked in the civil service of Portugal and in the private sector. From 1999-2003 he took leave from the Commission and was a partner in a law firm practicing mainly corporate, finance, competition and taxation law. He holds a degree in law and also studied development policy, history and public management.