▁Category : B rit ish ▁black - and - white ▁films <0x0A> </s> ▁Alexander ▁Italian er ▁( born ▁ 1 6 ▁March ▁ 1 9 5 6 ) ▁is ▁a ▁retired ▁Dutch ▁civil ▁servant ▁who ▁served ▁as ▁Secretary - General ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Commission ▁from ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Alexander ▁Italian er ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁in ▁London , ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Dutch ▁diplom at ▁Franz ▁Italian er . ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁in ▁the ▁Netherlands , ▁comple ting ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁Le iden . ▁He ▁graduated ▁in ▁econ omet rics ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁G ron ingen ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁and ▁received ▁his ▁Ph D ▁in ▁econom ics ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁university ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁he ▁was ▁an ▁assistant ▁at ▁the ▁Catholic ▁University ▁of ▁Le u ven . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁civil ▁servant ▁at ▁the ▁European ▁Commission ; ▁first ▁as ▁an ▁ad visor , ▁then ▁as ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁administrative ▁unit ▁of ▁the ▁Director ate - General ▁for ▁Econom ic ▁and ▁Fin an cial ▁Affairs . ▁He ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁Cab inet ▁of ▁Commission ▁President ▁Jacques ▁San ter ▁during ▁the ▁San ter ▁Commission ▁( 1 9 9 5 – 1 9 9 9 ) ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁Cab inet ▁Head ▁under ▁Gün ter ▁Ver he ugen . ▁In