Biography
Maria Cristina Russo is Deputy Director-General for Innovation, Prosperity and International Cooperation in DG Research and Innovation. In this role she oversees the relations with third countries on Research & Innovation and the Association Agreements to Horizon Europe, she steers the work of the Innovation and the Prosperity Directorates. Previously Director for Prosperity with responsibility for Industrial research innovation & investments agenda, Valorisation policies and IPR, Industrial transformation, and AI in Science. She has been working for the European Commission since 1992 where she held several policy and managerial positions related to external relations, the EU decision-making process and various EU policies, in particular Research & Innovation. Before being appointed Director, she was member of the Cabinet of the Commissioner in charge of research policy and Head of Unit in the Secretariat-General of the European Commission holding different positions dealing with inter-institutional relations and policy making, and in the department in charge of consumers' policies and financial services.
Maria Cristina holds a degree in Political Sciences from the Luiss University of Rome and a Research Master’s Degree in European Studies from the College of Europe in Bruges. She has three children.