Christof Lessenich to become the new ACER Director

The EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) is pleased to announce Mr Christof Lessenich as its next Director.

ACER, an EU Agency, is central to supporting well-functioning, integrated and resilient European energy markets that deliver clean, affordable and secure energy across Europe. The Director’s role is to head up and lead the Agency.

Christof Lessenich, a German national, brings more than two decades of experience in EU energy and competition policy. Since 2021, he has headed the Internal Energy Market Unit at the European Commission’s DG Energy, leading work on EU electricity and gas markets. Previously, he held senior positions at the European Commission’s DG Competition. Earlier in his career, he worked as a solicitor in private practice. Mr Lessenich holds a PhD in Law from the University of Bonn and an LLM from the University of Cambridge.

The appointment process for the ACER Director involved his selection by the ACER Administrative Board following an open recruitment process, a favourable opinion from the Board of Regulators and Mr Lessenich’s statement and questioning today (10 September) before the European Parliament’s ITRE Committee.

The Director’s term of office is five years, renewable once for up to five additional years. Mr Lessenich’s exact start date will be announced soon. Meanwhile, Mr Volker Zuleger continues to serve as the ACER Director ad interim, having succeeded the former Director Mr Christian Zinglersen.