Koen Doens has been director general at the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Partnerships (INTPA) since October 2019. In this role, he contributes to shaping the Commission’s development policy abroad. Previously, he held a variety of positions in the Commission including deputy director general responsible for Africa, Asia, Middle East/Gulf, Pacific, Latin America and Caribbean in the former Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO), head of the Commission Spokespersons’ Service during the second Barroso Commission from 2010 to-2014 and head of cabinet of Louis Michel, commissioner in charge of Development and Humanitarian Aid during the first Barroso Commission from 2004 to2010. Before that, he had served as a Belgian diplomat from 1993 to 2004. Before entering Belgian civil service, he was a professor of Latin and Greek. A classical philologist by training, Doens holds an MA in international politics from the University of Antwerp.