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Mr. Karel De Gucht, State Minister, was the European Commissioner for Trade from February 2010 until 31 October 2014, where he was pivotal in negotiating, concluding and managing several European Free Trade and Investment Agreements worldwide.

Previously he served as Belgium’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2004 to 2009, Deputy Prime Minister from 2008 to 2009, and as European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response from 2009 to 2010. Currently he is the President of the Institute for European Studies (IES) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) – his alma mater (Masters of Laws, 1976) and where he teaches European Law.

He serves as a Director on the Boards of ArcelorMittal SA, of EnergyVision and is a Member of the Advisory Board of CVC Capital Partners. He is also the manager of a family-run wine producing company in the Chianti region (Italy).