Open Society Institute–Brussels Appoints New Director

Heather Grabbe has been appointed as the new director of the Open Society Institute–Brussels and will also serve as director of EU Affairs for the Soros foundations network. Grabbe will join the Open Society Institute in February. She has done extensive research, policy, and advocacy work concerning EU enlargement in Central and Southeast Europe and has significant expertise in European foreign and security policies and EU institutional reform.

Grabbe previously served as senior advisor to European Commissioner Olli Rehn from 2004 to 2008. She was also deputy director of the Centre for European Reform, a London-based think tank. She has written widely and is a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics. Grabbe holds a PhD from the University of Birmingham.

Outgoing director Andre Wilkens is leaving Brussels to become head of strategic communications of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva. The Open Society Institute would like to thank Wilkens for his outstanding work as director over the past five years. His commitment and vision were critical in shaping the Decade of Roma Inclusion and other European advocacy efforts.