Kevin Barrett

Kevin Barrett was appointed Chef de Cabinet for European Commissioner Michael McGrath, replacing Irish diplomat Fiona Knab-Lunny in September 2026. A commissioner's chef de cabinet serves as their point person in high-level policy debates inside the European Commission, making it a strategic role in Brussels.

Barrett worked for McGrath for several years when he was a government minister and served as a senior official in the commission cabinet of advisers, covering justice policy. He worked as Fianna Fáil's economic policy adviser from 2011 to 2016 before moving to the private sector. McGrath trusts Barrett implicitly, and his influence across economic and financial policymaking is significant.

Barrett holds an MSc in Finance from University College Cork (1996-1998). Prior to joining the European Commission, he worked as a special adviser to the Irish Minister for Finance and previously in the financial services sector.

Career history

• Chef de Cabinet, Cabinet of EU Commissioner Michael McGrath, European Commission (September 2026–present)
• Cabinet Expert, Cabinet of Commissioner Michael McGrath, European Commission (2024–2026)
• Head of Transition, Commissioner Designate for Democracy, Justice and Rule of Law, European Commission (2024)
• Special Adviser to the Minister for Finance, Department of Finance Ireland (2022–2024)
• Special Adviser to Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (2020–2022)
• Senior Portfolio Manager, Irish Life Investment Managers (2016–2020)
• Economic Policy Adviser, Fianna Fáil (2011–2016)

What Kevin Barrett could bring to Chef de Cabinet at European Commission: Barrett brings a unique blend of Irish political acumen and financial expertise to this strategic Brussels role. His decade-long involvement in economic policymaking during Ireland's post-financial crisis recovery, combined with his private sector experience in portfolio management, positions him to handle the complex regulatory and economic dimensions of justice policy. His deep personal relationship with Commissioner McGrath and proven institutional knowledge within the Commission—having already served as transition lead and cabinet expert—enable him to hit the ground running in coordinating high-level policy debates with other commissioners' cabinets and EU political leadership.