EU antitrust chief Vestager is running for top job at EIB

Author: Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS, June 20 (Reuters) – European Union antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager, known for her crackdown and hefty fines on Big Tech for anti-competitive practices, is running for a top job at the European Investment Bank (EIB), a senior executive said on Tuesday.

Vestager, who has served in the European Commission since 2014, will end her second five-year term at the end of next year.

“I am pleased that the Danish government has put my name forward for consideration as a potential candidate for the position of president of the European Investment Bank,” the Dane said in a statement.

“And I confirm my availability for assessment, waiting for the bank’s process and next steps. I have nothing more to add at this stage.”

The EIB, the European Union’s lender, provides billions of euros for a range of projects. Its current head is Werner Hoyer, who was re-elected for a second term in 2018.

Vestager has fined Alphabet Inc.’s Google more than 8 billion euros ($8.72 billion) over the past decade for anti-competitive practices, and last week threatened to split up the company’s profitable digital advertising business.

It also examines Meta Platforms Inc., Apple Inc. and Microsoft Corp. ($1 = 0.9174 euros)

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Richard Chang)