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Fabrice Leggeri

Executive Director

Fabrice Leggeri has served as the Executive Director of Frontex since January 2015. During his term, the agency secured a new mandate with additional powers and responsibilities, becoming the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. During Mr. Leggeri’s time in office, Frontex has seen a significant increase in its budget and the number of employees, which nearly doubled to well above 500. The agency has become a cornerstone of the EU’s area of freedom, security and justice and has taken on new tasks to combat cross-border crime. Under his leadership, Frontex has become more active than ever at the EU’s external borders.

Before becoming the Executive Director of Frontex, Mr. Leggeri developed an extensive expertise in issues related to the Schengen area, border control and migration, with a European angle, working at France’s ministries of interior and defence, as well as at the European Commission. He applied this knowledge on the ground as a Vice-Prefect in two French regions.

Between 2013 and 2014, Mr. Leggeri ran the Division on Irregular Migration at the French Ministry of Interior, with key responsibilities arising from Schengen-related public policies and illegal immigration. Earlier he was the Deputy Head of Embassy of France and Acting Ambassador in the Republic of Korea.

From 2007 to 2011, Mr. Leggeri was Head of the Division International and European Law at the Ministry of Defence. Between 2003 and 2007, he represented the State in two French regions holding the office of Vice-Prefect, where he dealt with issues such as coordinating police forces and law enforcement agencies, setting up operational action plans to maintain public order and security.

As a national expert seconded to the European Commission in 2000-2003, Mr. Leggeri played an important role in drafting a document that was endorsed in 2002 and recommended the creation of Frontex.

Mr. Leggeri began his career at the French Ministry of Interior as Deputy Head and later the Head of a unit dealing with cross border traffic, borders and visas.

Mr. Leggeri graduated from Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris, Ecole normale supérieure and Ecole nationale d’administration. He received a Master’s degree and postgraduate diploma from the University of Paris.

Full CV
Declaration of absence of conflict of interest
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