Ivan Štefanec
Ivan Štefanec MEP | |
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Assumed office 1 July 2014 | |
Personal details | |
Born |
Považská Bystrica, Czechoslovakia | 30 September 1961
Nationality | Slovak |
Political party | European People's Party (EPP) |
Alma mater | University of Economics in Bratislava |
Occupation | Politician |
Profession | Manager |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Website | Ivan Štefanec MEP |
Ing. Ivan Štefanec, MBA, PhD. (born September 30, 1961 in Považská Bystrica) is a Slovak politician and top manager, former Member of the Slovak Parliament and currently Member of the European Parliament.[1]
Education
- 1979 – 1983 University of Economics in Bratislava, Faculty of Management
- 1987 - 1989 Comenius University in Bratislava, postgraduate study of English language
- 1991 – 1992 Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, MBA program
- 1994 University of Economics in Bratislava, Faculty of Economic Informatics, PhD
Professional career
Ivan Štefanec started to work as a researcher and later as a Project Manager at the engineering plant Považské strojárne, Považská Bystrica in 1983. Between years 1992 and 1993 he worked as Branch Manager[2] of Ernst & Young CS Consulting and since 1994 his professional career was connected with the company Coca-Cola. He started as Chief Financial Officer and Deputy General Manager and he was successfully running the company Coca-Cola Beverages Slovakia as the General Manager for 5 years. Under his leadership Cola-Cola Beverages Slovakia was awarded with the National Quality Prize 2001.[3] Following this and other accomplishments Ivan Štefanec was appointed the EU Integration Manager of Coca-Cola HBC in Vienna in January 2003. This role, among other responsibilities, incorporated the preparation of the company business for EU Enlargement in all accession countries. Ivan Štefanec was the President of the Business Alliance of Slovakia from its foundation in 2001 until 2005.[4]
Political career
In 2003, he was nominated for the position of European Commissioner[5] by Slovak Democratic and Christian Union. After the 2004 wind disaster in High Tatra Mountains, Ivan Štefanec was leading the Government Committee for the recovery and development of High Tatras.[6] In 2006, he was appointed as the Plenipotentiary for adoption of the euro in Slovakia.[7] In 2006 – 2010, 2010 – 2014 he was Member of the Slovak National Council. He focused specifically on Economic issues and European affairs. Moreover, he was active in the area of SMEs, entrepreneurship and Slovak/Taiwanese relations. In 2010 he was appointed the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs. On February 19, 2015 Ivan Štefanec left the SDKÚ-DS party claiming that the party has ceased to function. Since November 2015 he is a member of the Slovak political party KDH (Christian Democratic Movement).
European Parliament
In May 2014, he successfully ran for a European Parliament mandate and was elected as Member of the European Parliament for the SDKU-DS and subsequently joined the EPP Group. Currently he serves as a member of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, the Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and a substitute in the Committee on Budgets, the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly. His priority topics are digital single market, SMEs, TTIP, employment and red tape reduction. Currently he also holds the position of the Vice-President of SME Europe.
Awards
- 2003 Dale Carnegie Leadership Award[8]
- 2011 Taiwanese Friendship Medal of Diplomacy[9]
Personal life
Ivan Štefanec is married and has two children, daughter Ivana and son Vladislav. Ivan Štefanec is an avid sportsman who among other sports enjoys triathlon, running, tennis, football, hockey and basketball. After joining the EP, he cycled 1200 km to his new work place from Bratislava to Brussels for 9 days. He regularly participates in many competitions in triathlon and endurance runs like the National Run Devin - Bratislava, Bratislava Marathon, New Year's Eve running through Bratislava Danube bridges, etc.
References
- ↑ Official Page of European Parliament (English)
- ↑ CV on INEKO Website (English)
- ↑ Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing (Slovak)
- ↑ Podnikateľská aliancia Slovenska chce prispieť k prosperite krajiny (Slovak)
- ↑ [http://euobserver.com/institutional/14140 New member states line up their Commissioners] (English)
- ↑ I. Štefanec šéfuje výboru na obnovu Tatier (Slovak)
- ↑ Plenipotentiary for euro to be appointed (English)
- ↑ Udelia cenu Dale Carnegie Leadership Award (Slovak)
- ↑ Chairman of the Slovak-Taiwanese Parliamentary Friendship Group Leads a Delegation to Taiwan (English)