Roberto Viola

Roberto Viola (born 1958) is a European civil servant from Italy.^[1]

Since 2015, he has been the Director General of Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG Connect), the European Commission department responsible for developing policies and funding programmes that support digital technologies and online services across Europe.^[2]

Education

From 1978 to 1983, Viola studied electronic engineering at the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, where he achieved a doctorate. Between 1993 and 1996 he studied business management degree at the Open University in the UK.^[3]

Career

After leaving university in Rome, Viola worked in telecommunications in the city for a year. After joining the European Space Agency from 1985 to 1993, where he led telecommunications and satellite broadcasting services, he moved to Italy’s telecoms and media regulator, AGCOM, serving as Technical Director and then Secretary-General from 1999 to 2012.^[1][3]

From 2010 to 2013 he chaired the European Radio Spectrum Policy Group and was a member of BEREC and the European Regulatory Group. He joined the European Commission’s DG CONNECT in 2012, rising from Deputy Director-General (2012–2015) to Director-General since 2015.^[1][4]

Throughout his career, Viola has been instrumental in shaping EU digital and telecommunications policy.^[2] In 2025, he upset colleagues by dictating a set of office rules, including a requirement for juniors to wear a suit, not use laptops and speak only when spoken to at meetings.^[5]

Awards

In 1983, Viola was awarded the Marconi prize for the best Italian doctoral thesis in telecommunications. In 1999, Viola was awarded the European Space Agency's inventor medal.^[3]

Personal life

Viola's mother-tongue is Italian, but he also speaks English, Spanish and Dutch.^[3]