I was up early again this morning to get the Eurostar to London. I took a day off to go and interview Horst Reichenbach, who is now a Vice-President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development but was Director General of the European Commission’s DG Administration 1999-2004 and was therefore a key player in the Kinnock reform process. I needed to interview him because I am currently working on an update of my 2001 biography of Neil Kinnock. The first edition only touched on the beginning of the reform process, but now I can treat Neil’s political career in the round. The more I look into the Kinnock reform package the more I realise what an achievement it was to get the whole thing through. An academic friend, Hussein Kassim, tellingly wrote an article entitled “‘Mission impossible’, but mission accomplished: the Kinnock reforms and the European Commission,’ that just about sums it up (published in the Journal of European Public Policy, 15:5 August 2008). There is no doubt that the Commission was lucky to have a seasoned reformer like Kinnock to take the whole thing on and brilliant officials like Horst Reichenbach and Philip Lowe (who I saw a few weeks back) to help him deliver. Reichenbach had also already got one reform process under his belt, having reformed DG Consumer Policy and Health Protection in the 1997-’99 period, after the findings of the European Parliament’s Temporary Committee of Inquiry into the BSE crisis. And Philip Lowe had previously spent time reforming DG Development and creating DG Aidco. Indeed, one of Reichenbach’s theses was that the success of the reform process owed a lot to a series of coincidences, as well as to the combined force of their networks of contacts…
Dear Martin,
Dear Rapid Data
I am trying to contact the new Task Force for Greece, in particular Mr. Horst Reichenbach.
I am a Athens based business man and investor, and I can help the Task Force Greece to achieve its goals, as I have lived, worked and studied in Germany for 10 years.
Please be so kind and send me his contact details, or the contact details of Mr. Jorgen Holmquist or David Wright.
Otherwise I can send you my information to pass it on.
Thank you vey much in advance.
Skoufis Sotirios
L.Katsoni 8
16673 Voula Greece
Tel:+302108991395
Fax:+302109658757
Dear Sotirios Skoufis,
With your understanding, I have passed on your message to the three gentlemen in question and leave it to them to get in touch with you.
All best wishes and hang on in there!
Martin Westlake
Dear Martin
i have the willingness to assist the Task Force For Greece to accomplish its goals , as i have lived and studied in U.K. with various working experience.
it would be grateful if you can pass my information to them.
thanks in advance
Kind Regards
Dimitrios
Dear Dimitrios,
I have passed on your message.
Best wishes,
Martin
Dear Martin
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to communicate with Mr Horst.
I am based in Kos island and I am specialized in Tourism Management and development. Details you can find in my web site http://www.veranoconsultancy.com
I am interesting to know if will be any task for Kos and Rhodes island regarding Tourism.
It will be my pleasure to provide my knowledge for a prosperous growth in our region
Yours Sincerely
Frantzis Argyropoulos MSc