PATRICK Bourke has been appointed as the head of the Isle of Man office in Brussels.
He will take up the position as director of European Affairs and Brussels representative and will act as the eyes and ears of the Isle of Man in Brussels, lobbying on behalf of the Isle of Man Government.
Mr Bourke has been recruited from the UK Ministry of Justice in London where he led the department's European, Crown Dependencies and devolution team.
He will strengthen relations with key decision-makers, promote the Island's economic and cultural interests, and gather intelligence on relevant issues.
Talking about his new position Mr Bourke said: "I am delighted to have been appointed to this exciting role and look forward to working with new colleagues in the public and private sectors to represent the interests of the Isle of Man on the ground in Brussels."
Establishing a permanent presence in Brussels represents an important step towards furthering the Isle of Man's interests in Europe across a wide range of complex and challenging issues. The post supports the Island's commitment to enhancing its international identity and constitutional development through positive engagement with the EU and its Member States.
Chief Minister Tony Brown: said: "I am pleased to welcome Patrick as the Island's representative in Brussels.
"We have worked closely with him and his team at the Ministry of Justice over a number of years and he is perhaps uniquely well positioned to lead our Brussels office given his comprehensive understanding of the workings of the Isle of Man, our relationship with the UK and the EU and his hands-on experience of working in the Brussels environment.
"Although we are not part of the EU, decisions they make can have a major impact on the Isle of Man, so establishing a permanent office in Brussels will be beneficial on many levels."
The Isle of Man Office will be located in a prime location in the European quarter, close to the commission headquarters, many embassies and the parliament.
It is not yet known what Mr Bourke's salary is however £250,000 has been allocated for salary, running and admin costs for the first year.
