With a knack for biting back against President Donald Trump’s protectionism, Malmström is far from the cuddly liberal Swede some imagine her to be. Nominated in 2009, Malmström istied with Maroš Šefčovič and Günther Oettinger for the title of longest-serving commissioner, and has joined the likes of Margrethe Vestager and Federica Mogherini as an EU official with a truly global profile. “Cecilia is the perfect mix of analytic and emotional intelligence,” said Carlos Moedas, the European commissioner for research and innovation. “She makes you feel good, she listens, but she’s incredibly tough.” With EU trade deals with Japan and Canada under her belt, Malmström is now gearing up to tackle agreements with South America’s Mercosur bloc, and Australia and New Zealand. She’s also set to move closer to the Brexit center stage once EU-U.K. trade negotiations kick off. As an anti-harassment advocate, Malmström has also called on men to take action: “This is about education and a change in attitudes toward women,” she said.
Return to the full list of Women who shape Brussels — class of 2017. For an explanation of how this list was compiled, see here.
