Full Name
Apostolos Tzitzikostas
Job Title
Commissioner for Sustainable Transport & Tourism
Company
European Commission
Speaker Bio
Apostolos Tzitzikostas was born on September 2, 1978. He is a graduate of Athens College and holds a BA in Political Science and International Politics from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., as well as a Master’s degree in European Public Policy from University College London.
In 2002, he founded his own company in Thessaloniki, specializing in the production and processing of dairy products according to organic standards.
In the national elections of September 2007, Tzitzikostas was elected as a Member of the Greek Parliament with the Nea Demokratia party, representing the 1st Electoral District of Thessaloniki. During his tenure as MP, he served as Secretary of the Hellenic Parliament, a member of the Standing Committee on National Defense and Foreign Affairs, and a member of the Standing Committee on Financial Affairs. He also participated in the Special Standing Committee on European Community Affairs and the Special Committee for the Reform Treaty of the European Union. From 2007 to 2009, he represented the Hellenic Parliament in the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly.
In the regional elections of November 2010, he was elected Deputy Governor of Central Macedonia and Head of the Thessaloniki Regional Unit. He went on to win the position of Governor of Central Macedonia in the May 2014 regional elections, securing 71% of the vote. He was re-elected in the regional elections of May 2019 and October 2023, receiving over 60% of the vote in both contests.
In November 2019, Tzitzikostas was elected President of the Association of Greek Regions and became the first person in the institution’s history to be unanimously re-elected to this role in February 2024.
Since 2015, Tzitzikostas has been a member of the European Committee of the Regions. In July 2017, he was elected Head of the Greek Delegation, and in February 2020, he was unanimously elected President of the European Committee of the Regions by all political groups. He was further elected First Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions in July 2022.
Tzitzikostas is fluent in English and French, and his articles are regularly published in newspapers and magazines in Greece and internationally. He is married to Eleana Vlachou and they have two children, George and Natalia.
In 2002, he founded his own company in Thessaloniki, specializing in the production and processing of dairy products according to organic standards.
In the national elections of September 2007, Tzitzikostas was elected as a Member of the Greek Parliament with the Nea Demokratia party, representing the 1st Electoral District of Thessaloniki. During his tenure as MP, he served as Secretary of the Hellenic Parliament, a member of the Standing Committee on National Defense and Foreign Affairs, and a member of the Standing Committee on Financial Affairs. He also participated in the Special Standing Committee on European Community Affairs and the Special Committee for the Reform Treaty of the European Union. From 2007 to 2009, he represented the Hellenic Parliament in the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly.
In the regional elections of November 2010, he was elected Deputy Governor of Central Macedonia and Head of the Thessaloniki Regional Unit. He went on to win the position of Governor of Central Macedonia in the May 2014 regional elections, securing 71% of the vote. He was re-elected in the regional elections of May 2019 and October 2023, receiving over 60% of the vote in both contests.
In November 2019, Tzitzikostas was elected President of the Association of Greek Regions and became the first person in the institution’s history to be unanimously re-elected to this role in February 2024.
Since 2015, Tzitzikostas has been a member of the European Committee of the Regions. In July 2017, he was elected Head of the Greek Delegation, and in February 2020, he was unanimously elected President of the European Committee of the Regions by all political groups. He was further elected First Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions in July 2022.
Tzitzikostas is fluent in English and French, and his articles are regularly published in newspapers and magazines in Greece and internationally. He is married to Eleana Vlachou and they have two children, George and Natalia.
Speaking At
