Kadri Simson

Kadri Simson (née Must, born 22 January 1977) is an Estonian politician, formerly from the Centre Party, who served as the European Commissioner for Energy in the von der Leyen Commission between 2019 and 2024.

Kadri Simson
Simson in 2024
European Commissioner for Energy
In office 1 December 2019 – 30 November 2024
President	Ursula von der Leyen
Preceded by	Miguel Arias Cañete
Succeeded by	Dan Jørgensen
Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure
In office 23 November 2016 – 29 April 2019
Prime Minister	Jüri Ratas
Preceded by	Kristen Michal
Succeeded by	Taavi Aas
Personal details
Born	Kadri Must (1977-01-22) 22 January 1977 (age 48) Tartu, Estonia
Political party	Centre Party
Education	University of Tartu University College London

Early life

Simson graduated from Tartu 10th Middle School in 1995, Tartu University in 2000, (majoring in history).^[1] She holds an MA in Political Science from University College London (2003).^[2] Simson was a board member of the NGO Institute of Recent Studies.^[3]

Political career

Simson was a member of the Estonian Centre Party from 1995 to 2024. She worked as an advisor to the Tallinn City Government in 1999, later Tallinn Mayor between 2001 and 2002.^[4] Simson served as chairwoman of the Pärnumaa region from 2011 until 2021.^[5]

In 2015, Simson failed to beat party leader Edgar Savisaar for his role after an almost uninterrupted 25-year tenure. Savisaar won the vote of 541 delegates, to Simson's 486, from a total of 1,051.^[6]

In December 2024, Simson announced that she would be leaving the Centre Party.^[7]

Personal life

Between 6 June 2008 and February 2015, Simson was married to journalist Priit Simson.^[8] Afterwards, she began a relationship with former chairman of HKScan Estonia, Teet Soorm.^[9]