Katarina Mathernova

Prior to her appointment, Ms Mathernová held the position of Deputy Director General of DG NEAR, Directorate General for Neighbourhood & Enlargement Negotiations, between 2015 and 2023. For three years, she simultaneously acted as Head of European Commission’s Support Group for Ukraine (2020-2023). She started her career in the European Commission in DG for Regional and Urban Policy where she served as Deputy Director General (2007-2010). Ms Mathernová held senior management and advisory posts at the European Commission, the World Bank, and in the Government of Slovakia where she was Chief Institutional and Policy Advisor to Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs (1998-2002).

Katarína Mathernová holds a Juris Doctor degree from Comenius University in Bratislava and a Masters of Law degree from the University of Michigan. She is a member of the New York Bar and speaks six languages. She started her career in private practice of law in the US, with distinguished New York and Washington DC law firms.

For her dedicated work with countries of the Eastern Partnership she has been decorated with Orders of Merit by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy (2022), Moldovan President Sandu (2021) and the Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Landsbergis (2023).