Dr. Fabian Zuleeg has been Chief Executive of the European Policy Centre (EPC) since October 2013, overseeing its strategic direction, staff, and external representation, while continuing as Chief Economist, a role he has held since January 2010. He holds a PhD in the political economy of EU accession from the University of Edinburgh and previously worked as an economic analyst in academia and the public and private sectors. He is a Member of the Executive Board of Transparency International EU, an Honorary Fellow at the University of Edinburgh’s Europa Institute, and an Honorary Professor at Heriot-Watt University, and chairs the King Baudouin Foundation’s International Philanthropy Committee.
Fabian’s research focuses on the political economy of European integration amid growing fragmentation and polarisation. He coined the term Permacrisis with EPC colleagues in 2021 to describe Europe’s triple challenge: transformative technological, climate, and demographic shifts; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; and, more recently, the implications of Donald Trump’s re-election for European security. He argues Europe suffers from a “progress illusion,” where policy gains fall short of what its challenges demand.
He works closely with EU institutions, think tanks, and Brussels stakeholders, engages in Track 1.5/2 diplomacy, and is a frequent media commentator and conference speaker on European integration, Brexit, and economic policy.