Head of Better Regulation, Investment and Entrepreneurship Division at the Unit of Administrative Reform (UAR) in the Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus. UAR, which was formed in October 2014, deals with the formulation and implementation of the new Growth Agenda. Irene joined the government in 1997 and worked for 10 years in the department responsible for EU regional policy. During the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2012, she was Head of the Programme and Policy Coordination Unit. She studied Regional Science at Reading University and holds a Master on Environmental and Resource Economics from University College London.