Alain Stekke is a Belgian economist, born in Brussels (October 7, 1947), who holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Louvain (1971).

He retired from the European Commission in October 2012.

Throughout his career, he dealt with economic policy issues, first at Belgian and later at European levels.

Belgium 1973-1982

Between 1973 and 1982, he was a member of the Cabinet of the Prime Minister or the Minister of Economic Affairs.  For several years, he was also Vice-President of the Belgian public saving bank (CGER). He was a close economic advisor to the President of the Christian Democratic Party (PSC). In these capacities, he contributed to the monetary and fiscal policies, the competitiveness strategy and the restructuring of the steel industry.

European Commission 1983-2012

He joined the European Commission in 1983 as a Member of the Cabinet of the Vice-President of the European Commission, Viscount Etienne Davignon and in 1985 the Directorate General for Information Society and Media (DG INFSO that was renamed DG CONNECT in 2012).  In these capacities, he dealt with the economics of information and communications technologies (ICT).

His Research Community

In 2008, he co-organised with the Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN) a workshop on the economics of ICT that eventually led to the ICTNET project.   This European funded Coordination Action aimed at supporting research in the economics of ICT in Europe.  ICTNET was coordinated by the OECD, with Imperial College London, the University of Parma and the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim. 

Teaching

He had teaching duties at the University of Louvain, the Universidad Del Norte, Arica (Chile), HEC Saint Louis Brussels, College of Europe (Bruges) and U.T. (Austin-TX).

Awards

International Visitor Program of the United States Information Agency (August 1983)

European Commission Fellowship at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin (June 2000 – June 2001)

Alain Stekke is married to Valérie Amand and his daughter Valentine is a wedding dress designer (valentineavoh.com)