Top EU post for Joanna Drake
The European Commission today announced the appointment of Joanna Drake as Director of its Directorate General for Enterprise. She will be Director for the Promotion of Competitiveness of SMEs
Dr Drake, who has been the Commission's representative to Malta for the past years, is the first Maltese to be appointed to the highest echelons of the European Commission in Brussels.
She is expected to relinquish her post in Malta shortly to join the Commission in Brussels. Dr Drake's appointment was approved during the last meeting of the current EU executive held today in Brussels.
The Labour Party in a statement congratulated Dr Drake on the appointment.
40 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
malcolm seychell
Oct 30th 2009, 22:07
Best of luck Dr Drake. You make us proud to be Maltese.
Marthese Fenech
Oct 30th 2009, 18:55
@Christian Sciberras ''Dr Drake, who has been the Commission's representative to Malta for the past years, is the first Maltese to be appointed to the highest echelons of the European Commission in Brussels'' As you can see from the above Dr. Drake's appointment is one of the highest position in the EU. I see nothing wrong with congratulating her(before,as is normally done). If it was a job like any other job her appointment would not have been a news item. She managed to qualify for this job competing with 126 other people from 10 European countries. Wouldn't you call that an achievement AND news worthy? Well done Joanna, you make us proud. I wish every success in your future in this new and challenging position. I am sure you will succeed even further.
Christian Sciberras
Oct 30th 2009, 15:51
Difering from the comments below, I honestly don't care who gets this appointment, as long as the job is done well. Therfore, I don't see what the comments below are for. We difinitely can't congratulate Dr Drake for the job (sinc she's just starting) yet we can't argue against it. Besides it's a job like any other. Few Maltese realize some people among us work internationally. As such, it's no big deal.
Marco Spiteri
Oct 30th 2009, 15:44
Well done Joanna. You make us proud !!
alfred curmi
Oct 29th 2009, 23:05
You did your job well explaining Europe to yr Maltese compatriots, you deserve this very honourable post in Brussels, and good luck.
I am sure you have a very bright future in Brussels, ie. future important posts.
You proved that even we as Maltese, can be given high posts in Brussels and thanks for yr part in helping Malta to be part of this Europenan family.
All Maltese should be very proud of you and Good wishes and again good luck in this new post.
Franco Farrugia
Oct 29th 2009, 18:29
@ Ivan Bartolo - You seem to be stuck in some time-warp. Get out of it, and fast,too. Or you will miss the boat. If you think that Dr Drake's appointment 'means nothing for Malta', all I can say is that you're not living in this world. You are still stuck in someone's views and ideas that were his and his party's folly! There is no excuse for not having been aware what it means to be a member of the EU.
P Pace Balzan
Oct 29th 2009, 16:27
Well Done.
Joseph Bartolo
Oct 29th 2009, 15:28
Joanna Drake might be small in stature, however she is truly a giant in her heart, mind and soul. As the saying goes the "essence is really in the small bottle". Well done and Congratulations Joanna Drake, you make us very happy and proud :)
Dr. Mark Said
Oct 29th 2009, 14:36
I am sure that Dr. Drake will be a success in her new post........and that she will eventually do Malta great honour!
Good luck Dr. Drake and best wishes!
Caroline Galea
Oct 29th 2009, 09:16
As a woman and also as a female politician I am very happy to hear about Dr Drake's appointment. Well deserved for years of unfailing dedication to the EU cause.I wish her the very best in her new and challenging position. Let's keep this up!
Alison Bezzina
Oct 29th 2009, 08:40
A great victory for womankind. Prosit Jo!
Peter Paul Bonnici
Oct 29th 2009, 08:34
I have known Joanna for these last ten years and I am sure that it is through perseverance, competence, consistency and dedicated hard work, coupled with her humble approach, gave her the adequate credentials to be integrated within the highest administrative EU team.
Malta has now secured a stronger and credible voice with the other EU Member States. Well done !!
Ivan Bartolo
Oct 29th 2009, 00:10
This appointment means nothing fo Malta. She was one of those that did not explain what ment for us joining the EU.
Joseph Schembri
Oct 28th 2009, 19:49
Congrats to this lady. I hope that this will translate in some good that is felt by Joe public.
Meanwhile I remember listening to her speak on radio 101 some ten years ago. Her interviewer had asked her whether it was right for the MLP to say that those that were in favour of us joining the EU were only interested in what they would get personally. And this was on the PN radio... mind you.
Claire Cassar
Oct 28th 2009, 19:11
Most heartfelt congratulations Joanna! I know how passionate you have always been about EU affairs and how you have always inspired us to make the most of our opportunities in the European Community. A very well deserved role and a crucial one at that, in one of the most prominent DGs within the Commission.
S. Pulis
Oct 28th 2009, 16:55
.... u l-polu gharef ta' pajjizna m'eliġġiex lil din il-persuna bħala r-rapreżentanta tiegħu fil-Parlament Ewropew! Ma nafux nivvutaw? għandu mnejn iwa!
Josef Dara
Oct 28th 2009, 16:23
Whether she be Maltese or not!Another unelected bureaucrat added to the EU steam roller.So much for the 'democratic' process.
Jesmond Micallef
Oct 28th 2009, 16:19
Rock Solid good news !!!
May I congragulate Dr. Joanna Drake. This is a very good sign for Malta within the EU, considering Malta's reputation of male dominance in its administration and society as a whole. Furthermore, good to see Maltese brains at the top of EU positions !!!!
Good Luck Dr. Drake.
j. mangion
Oct 28th 2009, 16:05
welldone!!!
you are definitely bigger fish then labour's MAKKU.
Gabriella Pace
Oct 28th 2009, 15:59
A hearty congrats to my friend Joanna for making it to the top! Well done indeed! Am convinced she'll do us proud!
c.camilleri
Oct 28th 2009, 15:55
You deserve it Joanna. Prosit.
Joseph A.Borda
Oct 28th 2009, 15:33
Well Done Joanna Drake..............you diserve this post.....you make us proud......
John Micallef
Oct 28th 2009, 15:16
Well done Joanna!!
Keep it up, you diserve it!!
G.Micallef
Oct 28th 2009, 15:13
Well done and congrats Dr. Drake.
You see, even the 'Makku' have a place in the highest echelons of the European Commission in Brussels.
M Schranz
Oct 28th 2009, 14:48
Finally recogintion for a truly worthy Maltese woman who would have made it as MEP 5 years ago were it not for the alphabet rule. What a pity, Malta lost out then, but Europe stands to gain now. Well done Joanna!
Dr. John Zammit
Oct 28th 2009, 14:48
Well done Joanna, you deserve it.
s. falzon
Oct 28th 2009, 14:43
I do not know dr. drake personally but I have followed her career over the years. Well done.
Vicki Soler
Oct 28th 2009, 14:37
Prosit, Prosit and Prosit. You deserve it.
John Muscat Drago
Oct 28th 2009, 14:35
Well done Joanna. That's excellent. You'll surely be a great asset to the European Commission!
J. Schembri
Oct 28th 2009, 14:34
Well done Joanna, you surely deserve it.
I couldn't understand Mr P. Cassar's comment , what has Gonzipn got to do with this?
It takes two to tango , the government can come up with names of women who are fit to fill up the ECJ benches. Could it be that the few women lawyers who were aproached found it very hard to accept such position?
John Dingli
Oct 28th 2009, 14:03
I wish to join all the other well-wishers to CONGRATULATE you on your well deserved new EU post as Directorate General for Enterprise - you jolly well are the right person and you honour, sorry, I mean you have always honoured our beloved country though this appointment is a top - prosit also from all our family and God bless you.
P.Cassar
Oct 28th 2009, 13:47
AND GONZIPN
found not ONE SINGLE WOMAN fit to present for the european court, not once, TWICE !!!!!
Prosit Joanna.
Alan Bonnici
Oct 28th 2009, 13:42
A Big Welldone to Ms.Drake and good luck we need more ppl like her
Mary Anne Zammit
Oct 28th 2009, 13:42
A great well done. It s' good to see women escalating to the top but this woman really merits this position.
Good luck!
Stefan Grech
Oct 28th 2009, 13:36
WELL DONE JOANNA!!! Truly well-deserved. For many years you have given your "alll" towards the cause of seeing Malta in Europe and you have inspired many of us - including myself - to aim high and be amongst the first Maltese working in the European institutions. It is only fitting that you now assume this highest position ever occupied by a Maltese national in the European Commission. I am proud to be able to call you mentor and friend.
Ray Zerafa
Oct 28th 2009, 13:23
And who said that the Maltese won’t have any say in the EU?? Prosit tassew awguri !!!
Gianni Xuereb
Oct 28th 2009, 13:16
well done Joanna. You are a role model in the local political scene.
Joe Grima
Oct 28th 2009, 13:07
Prosit Joanna. Thoroughly well deserved. You've done a great job in Malta. You deserve greener pastures and I am siure you will do equally well in Brussels.
william sciberras
Oct 28th 2009, 13:02
well done, a well deserved appointment
Franco Farrugia
Oct 28th 2009, 12:58
Well done to this lady.