EU Enlargement: Expanding the Union and Its Potential

Born in September 1964 in Athens, Greece. Mr Michalis Rokas is the Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Malaysia. Mr Rokas has twenty-six years experience in the field of foreign affairs having joined the European Commission External Relations Directorate General in 1994. His prior postings include Chargé d’Affaires a.i. and Head of EU Delegation to New Zealand, First secretary of the European Commission’s Office in Hong Kong and Macau, Head of the Support to Delegations Division at the European External Action Service (EEAS) and Deputy and Head of the China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Mongolia Division at the EEAS. Ambassador Rokas holds a bachelor degree in Economics and a postgraduate degree in European Economics. Mr Rokas’ mother tongue is Greek and he speaks English, French and German.

Denys Mykhailiuk was born on 8th August 1978 in Poltava, Ukraine. He served as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim. He went to Ukraine State University of Finance and Foreign Trade where he studied and received a master in Management and Foreign Trade. He became a Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Ukraine in Malaysia. His previous post includes First Secretary of the US and Canada Department of 2nd Territorial Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Deputy Head of Trade and Economic Mission and also First Secretary for Economic Affairs of the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States. Mr. Mykhailiuk also speaks fluent English and Polish other than Ukraine language. He is married with two daughters.

Dr Rahul Mishra is Director, Centre for ASEAN Regionalism Universiti Malaya (CARUM), and Coordinator, European Studies (MES) programme, at the Asia-Europe Institute, University of Malaya. He is also the Managing Editor, AEI Insights journal. Prior to this, he was a Consultant with the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. At the institute, his primary responsibilities were to coordinate training modules for visiting foreign diplomats and give lectures on Asian security and Southeast Asian issues.