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Cristian Popa has been appointed Vice-President and member of the Management Committee of the European Investment Bank (EIB) by the Bank’s Board of Governors, consisting of the 28 European Union Finance Ministers.

A Romanian citizen and former Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Romania, Cristian Popa was appointed by the EIB’s Board of Governors on the basis of a proposal from the Minister of Finance of Romania. He will take up his duties on 1 March 2016.

“It is an honour and a privilege to join the European Investment Bank’s Management Committee and I look forward to supporting the Bank’s engagement in Romania, across Europe, and around the world. Over the last 25 years the European Investment Bank has played a crucial role in supporting improved economic opportunities, access to finance, innovation and infrastructure both in Europe and beyond and I look forward to contributing to its work as a team and building on this notable track record and proven experience” said Vice-President Cristian Popa.

Prior to his appointment at the EIB Cristian Popa was Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Romania (NBR). In this capacity, he coordinated the monetary policy, research, publications, econometric modelling and forecasting, European affairs and international relations, as well as financial stability departments. His responsibilities included heading the NBR task force responsible for inflation targeting, coordinating NBR participation in the sovereign ratings agency and investment bank dialogue, and playing a key role in NBR negotiations and day-to-day work with IFIs.

Dr. Popa was Vice-President of the NBR Monetary Policy and Supervision Committees and a member of its Board of Administration. Dr.Popa additionally served as alternate World Bank governor for Romania and as member of the ECB International Relations Committee and of the Economic and Financial Committee (EFC). He was also alternate member for Romania of the ECB General Council.

Cristian Popa has a Doctorate in Economic Sciences, with a specialization in International Economics/Comparative Monetary Policy, from the Faculty of International Economic Relations of the Bucharest Academy for Economic Studies. In September 1994 he earned a Fulbright fellowship with the Harvard University GSAS Department of Economics. He was also visiting scholar with the University of Michigan Ann Arbor and ACE-PHARE research fellow with the NIESR in London, both in 1997.

EIB Vice Presidents are appointed by the Board of Governors, on a proposal from the Board of Directors.

The EIB President and eight Vice Presidents constitute the Management Committee, the Bank’s permanent collegiate executive body. Under the authority of the President and the supervision of the Board of Directors, the Management Committee oversees the day-to-day running of the EIB, prepares decisions for Directors and ensures that these are implemented.