Mr. Charles Michel is a Distinguished Professor at China Europe International Business School. He is a Belgian politician serving as the President of the European Council from 2019 to 2024. Previously, he was the Prime Minister of Belgium from 2014 to 2019.

Prof. Charles Michel was born in Namur, Belgium, in 1975. He graduated from the law department of the University Libre de Bruxelles and studied international law at the University of Amsterdam, before practicing as a lawyer in Brussels.

In 1999 Prof. Charles Michel was elected member of the federal parliament and later became the Walloon Minister for Interior Affairs and Civil Service, and in 2007, Federal Minister for Development Cooperation. He played an important role in his political party, MR (Reformist Movement), as spokesperson and finally leader of the party (2011-2014). During this time, between 2006 and 2014, he was also Mayor of Wavre. In 2014, assuming the role of Belgium’s youngest Prime Minister at 38, he demonstrated a commitment to international collaboration and economic resilience. During his mandate, the Belgian government focused on ambitious social economic reforms, praised by the OECD, to attract more investments, create more jobs and significantly reduce debt and the budget deficit. Under his leadership, the government also decided to reinvest massively in the Defense sector.  Elected unanimously in 2019 and re-elected in 2022 as President of the European Council from 2019 to 2024, Michel was pivotal in orchestrating the European Union’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and implementing large-scale recovery plans. He also prioritized advancing the EU’s unified efforts in addressing climate change and driving digital transformation. 

Throughout his tenure, Prof. Charles Michel has been a staunch advocate for European strategic autonomy, emphasizing the necessity for innovation and unity to maintain the EU’s global influence. His diplomatic engagements have been extensive, including efforts to mediate a number of conflicts (including in the Caucasus and the Western Balkans) and fostering relations with key global partners. Prof. Charles Michel’s leadership has been instrumental in advancing EU enlargement discussions, aiming to integrate countries from the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe into the European family. 

Prof. Charles Michel engaged with global leaders, including Presidents Xi Jinping, Obama, Trump and Putin, as well as Prime Ministers from Japan, the UK, and Italy, on issues ranging from security to economic cooperation.

In December 2022, Prof. Charles Michel visited China at the invitation of the Chinese President.