As Secretary General, Ambassador Barucco will support the EUI President, playing a central role in shaping institutional policies, strengthening external relations, and coordinating with Member States and European Union bodies. He will also oversee governance mechanisms, lead outreach efforts with public and private stakeholders, and contribute to the Institute’s long-term strategic vision—both locally and internationally.
A senior career diplomat, Ambassador Barucco brings over three decades of experience in multilateral affairs, EU diplomacy, and global governance. He has served as Ambassador of Italy to Morocco and Mauritania (2021–2024) and to Sudan (2011–2015), and previously held leadership roles at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Director of the Policy Planning Unit (2015–2021). He was also Italy’s Antici Counsellor at the Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels (2007–2011), and Consul General in Mumbai, India (2002–2003). His earlier postings include Malaysia, the EU Directorate-General in Rome, and the Permanent Representation to the EU.
Ambassador Barucco holds a law degree from La Sapienza University of Rome, is a graduate of the College of Europe in Bruges, and a Fellow of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. He also conducted in-depth research and studies at the Institute for the Study of Religions and Cultures at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (2003–2006).
EUI President Patrizia Nanz welcomed the appointment with the following statement:
“At a time when international cooperation and higher education cannot be taken for granted, we reaffirm our commitment to openness, academic exchange, and cross-border learning. The appointment of Ambassador Barucco, with his long-standing experience in multilateral diplomacy, strengthens this mission: to ground the EUI locally while confidently engaging with Europe and its role on the global scene. I warmly welcome Armando Barucco to the European University Institute”
Reflecting on his new role, Ambassador Barucco said:
“The EUI is a European institution with deep roots in Italy and in the city of Florence. As Secretary General, my commitment will be to strengthen this dual connection: making the Institute increasingly open, accessible, and engaged in Florence’s extraordinary cultural life, while also remaining focused on the key transformations shaping Europe and the wider world. Only through dialogue between research, politics, and society can we help build a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable Europe– a more united Union capable of facing the future with clarity and purpose.”
Ambassador Barucco succeeds Marco del Panta, who served as the EUI Secretary General between 2021 and early 2025.
Find more information about the EUI and its governance here.