Dr. Elena Lazarou is the Director General of ELIAMEP. Between 2015 and 2025 she worked in the European Parliament’s research service, including as Head of the External Policies Unit. Previously she was Assistant Profession and head of the Center for International Relations of the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), Brazil;head of the Euro-Mediterranean Observatory of the Hellenic Center for European Studies;and researcher at the University of Cambridge. Dr.Lazarou has published widely on EU security/defence policy;transatlantic relations;geopolitics and multilateralism. She holds several fellowship and advisory positions, including at Chatham House and the European Policy Center (EPC).