Resignation of EU Official and Future Plans
Guersent, a longstanding official at the European Commission, has announced his intentions following his resignation, stating that future endeavors will focus on personal pursuits and family time. He emphasized the importance of resisting external pressures from corporate CEOs who advocate for reduced competition in the marketplace, asserting that such moves ultimately serve their own interests. “He should resist all the self-serving nonsense of the CEOs of large firms when they whisper to the ears of prime ministers,” he remarked, addressing the ongoing discourse on market competitiveness in Europe, reports 24brussels.
In discussing his upcoming plans, Guersent expressed his desire for travel and to spend quality time with his family, having recently celebrated his wife’s retirement. Guersent’s youngest child has also commenced university studies, marking a new chapter for the family.
Despite receiving potential lucrative offers for consultancy roles, Guersent has chosen to reject them. “I have refused any paid job … and any kind of academic recurrent commitments because I want to have at least a year or two where I’m free to do whatever I want to do,” he stated, highlighting his intention for a period of freedom and exploration.
Looking ahead, he mentioned a limited future project involving a “very, very dry treaty on competition law” in collaboration with Jonathan Faull, a former senior official at the Commission now serving as a consultant at Brunswick, and Ali Nikpay, a professor at Oxford and lawyer with Gibson Dunn. No plans for authoring books are currently in the works, ensuring his immediate focus remains away from formal commitments.
While Guersent’s travel plans span various destinations, he intends to spend considerable time in France, where he has cultivated aspirations for tomato gardening. His connections in Brussels will also maintain significance for him: “After 32 years, most of our friends are in Brussels,” he concluded, indicating that even in retirement, his ties to the city will remain strong.
