Mr Livio Hurzeler has been appointed as new Ambassador of Switzerland to Bucharest. Previous to this position, he headed the diplomatic mission to Senegal, Cape Verde, Gambia, Mali and Guinea Bisau for four years and has also been deputy Ambassador in Ankara. The 59 year-old has a degree in political sciences and is married with four children.
Mr Dacian Ciolos is the new Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. The 37 year-old replaces Decebal Traian Remes, who resigned after he was filmed taking an alleged bribe from yet another former Minister of Agriculture, Ioan Muresan. Mr Ciolos is not a member of any party but claims to favour the Liberal doctrine. Mr Ciolos has been deputy secretary of state for European Affairs in the Ministry of Agriculture and between 2005 and May 2007 worked as counsellor for the same Ministry. He was also the European Commission’s Delegation to Bucharest’s task manager for agriculture and rural development.
Mr Martin Licenik, 31, is the new head of the economic section at the Czech Embassy in Bucharest. Mr Licenik graduated from the Law School at Prague’s Charles University and, before arriving to Bucharest, worked as director of the EU Internal Market and Services Unit at the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Prague. Mr Licenik is married and speaks fluent English and French.
Mr Adrian Sarbu has been appointed the new chief operational officer (COO) for Central European Media Enterprises (CME).
Mrs Anca Petcu is the new general manager of Piraeus Leasing, replacing Mr Michalis Lachanas. Mrs Petcu joined Piraeus Leasing in 2004 as sales and marketing director and subsequently became deputy general manager.
Dr Walid Ali Othman is the new Ambassador of Syria to Romania.
Mr Stephan Weber is the new president of SABMiller’s subsidiary in Romania, Ursus Breweries, replacing Mr Dieter Schulze. Mr Weber was previously director of sales, distribution and trade marketing for Europe for SABMiller.
Mr Brian Davies has been elected Chairman of the British Romanian Chamber of Commerce. He is the Chairman of Sanders Polyfilms and of the Fundraising Committee of the Hospices of Hope charity.
Mr Emil Rapcea is the new Romanian Ambassador to Kazakhstan.
Mr Cristian Colteanu, 56, has joined General Electric as regional executive for Romania, Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova. Mr Colteanu was Romanian Ambassador to Italy between 2003 and 2007 until President Basescu withdrew his mandate from Rome for acting without Romanian Government approval when, along with five other NATO ambassadors in Rome, he asked the Italian authorities to maintain its troops in Afghanistan. Mr Colteanu has also been National Coordinator of Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from 2000 to 2003.
Mr Adrian Vierita, 45, has been appointed the new Romanian Ambassdor to Washington DC. This position was vacant for over a year. Currently, Vierita is secretary of state for European and Euro-Atlantic Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Between 2000 and 2006, he was Romania’s Ambassador to Berlin. 
