Anna Diamantopoulou (; born 26 February 1959 in Kozani, Greece) is a Greek civil engineer and politician of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) who currently serves as president of the Athens-based think tank "DIKTIO" Network for Reform in Greece and Europe.
Earlier in her career, Diamantopoulou served as Minister of Education as well as Minister for Development, Competitiveness and Shipping. She also served as European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities in the Prodi Commission, a post she held between 1999 and 2004. She has since held various positions, including in corporate boards.
Education and academic career
Diamantopoulou attended Aristotle University of Thessaloniki where she received training in civil engineering and then earned graduate degree with honours on regional development from the Panteion University.
She was a lecturer at various academic institutions including Bocconi, Boston and Harvard universities, Goethe University Frankfurt, London School of Economics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Queens College, City University of New York, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Political career
Career in national politics
Diamantopoulou joined the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) youth organisation in 1976 and was elected as president of the university's civil engineering students’ union a year later.
Diamantopoulou's political career began in 1984, when she was appointed as a Prefects (Governor) of Kastoria. Appointed at the age of 25, she was the youngest ever Governor in the history of Greek State. Two years later, she was appointed as Secretary General for Adult Education and later for Youth. She was appointed President of the Hellenic Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Handicraft (EOMMEX) in 1993 and left the position to become Secretary General for Industry.
Diamantopoulou's parliamentary career began in 1996 when she was elected to represent the district of Kozani. In the government of Prime Minister Costas Simitis, she was appointed as Deputy Minister for Development in charge of responsible for industrial restructuring as well as the privatization of 100 state companies, a position she left in order to become a European Commissioner.
Member of the European Commission, 1999–2004
From 1999 until 2004, Diamantopoulou served as the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities in the European Commission led by President Romano Prodi, which made her the youngest person and second woman to be appointed as Member of the European Commission by the Greek government.
During her mandate in the Prodi Commission, Diamantopoulou completed various legislative initiatives, including the “Agenda for Social Policy” for the EU. The agenda included a series of strategies and programs which aimed at securing equal opportunities for men and women, improving working conditions, legislating against discrimination at work and the fight against social exclusion.
Another initiative was the European Health Insurance Card, considered at the time to be a step towards a Social Europe. She promoted agreement on the White Paper on Corporate Social Responsibility, establishing CSR as an important aspect in European business agenda. Diamantopoulou was also the legislator behind the establishment and implementation of the regular issuance of EU guidelines for a European Employment Strategy.
Diamantopoulou led efforts on the European Commission's legislative initiative against discrimination in 2003, by introducing a directive against discriminations based on gender, origin, religion, handicap and sexual orientation. The directive aimed to outlaw sexism in areas like television programming, advertising, taxation, newspaper content and education as well as to ensure equal access to goods and services for women and men, e.g. not pay more for health insurance because you are a woman who may have a child.
In 2003 Diamantopoulou and Pehr Gyllenhammar held a nomination ceremony of European awards which acknowledged the excellence in the fields of lifelong learning, diversity and gender equality.
Minister of Education, 2009–2012
On 4 October 2009 Diamantopoulou was re-elected as a Member of Parliament and served as Minister for Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs in the cabinet of George Papandreou.