Barbara Brandtner, Director, DG COMP

Barbara Brandtner holds law degrees from the University of Vienna and the College of Europe and has an LL.M. from Michigan Law School. Following activities in the Austrian Foreign Service and private practice, she joined the Commission’s legal service in 1996, and held positions in several cabinets, including as Deputy Head of Cabinet of Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes. Following assignments as Head of Unit for State Aid Enforcement and Procedural Reform (2008–13), Resources, Ethics and Security (2013–16), State Aid Strategy (2016–20), Antitrust: Payment Systems (2020–22), Director for Financial Services at the Directorate General for Competition (2022–24), she has been Director for Transport, Post and other services since June 2024, covering all competition instruments (antitrust, mergers and state aid enforcement).