Vincenzo De Luca took office on 1 February 2016 as Director-General for Cultural and Economic Promotion and Innovation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Italy, after having served in the same Directorate General as Deputy Director-General and Principal Director for the Internationalisation of the Italian Economic System (since January 2014). He has been a career diplomat since 1989 and has been given several assignments at the Foreign Ministry and at the diplomatic representations in Khartoum, Tunis, Paris (at the permanent Representation at the OECD) and in Shanghai. He has a long-standing expertise in the internationalisation of the economic system of the public and private sector, both in Central Offices, in the capacity of Diplomatic Advisor of the Ministries of Industry, Transports and Economic Development, and in large corporations like ENI and ENEL, where he served as Vice President for Institutional International Relations. During the past few years, he played a relevant role in the organisation of the EXPO Milano 2015 as President of the Foreign Ministry’s Task Force, capitalising on his experience as Consul General in Shanghai. Extended version - Born in Naples on 7th November 1959. - Graduated in Political Science at the University of Naples in 1988. - February 1989: joined the Foreign Service. - November 1989 - May 1990: Directorate General for Cultural Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. - May 1990 – January 1992: Directorate Generale for Human Resources at the MFA. - January 1992 - May 1994: Second Secretary (Commercial) in The Embassy of Italy in Khartum (Sudan). Promoted to the rank of First Secretary in January 1994. - May 1994 - March 1998: First Secretary (Commercial) in the Embassy of Italy in Tunis (Tunisia). - March 1998 - January 2000: Counsellor for International Affairs to the Minister of Industry and Trade; - January 2000 - July 2001: Counsellor for International Affairs to the Minister of Transport and Navigation; - July 2001 - July 2005: Counsellor at the Permanent Representation of Italy at OECD in Paris; - July 2005 - January 2007: Counsellor for International Affairs to the Minister of Economic Development; - May 2008 - August 2008: Additional Advisor at the Minister of Economic Development for matters relating to Industry and Power. - August 2008 - December 2010: Vice President for Institutional International Relations of ENI S.p.A. - December 2010 – January 2014: Consul General of Italy in Shanghai; - January 2014: Deputy Director General for Cultural and Economic Promotion and Innovation/ Principal Director for internationalization of the Italian Economic System in the MFA. - February 2016: Director General for Cultural and Economic Promotion and Innovation.