Cristina Vanberghen

Prof. Dr. Cristina Vanberghen is a distinguished expert in digital regulation, intellectual property, and international governance, whose career spans law, diplomacy, policy, and academia across Europe and Asia. A French/Romanian national, she has served at the highest levels of public service and advisory in the European Union, with a particular focus on digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity law.

With a foundational legal background, Cristina holds a Doctor Juris from Leiden University, where her pioneering work on cyberconsumer protection and unfair trading practices earned the International Prize of the Association of Consumer Law. She also holds advanced degrees in European and international law from the Université Libre de Bruxelles (LLM), and in diplomatic studies from IEHEI, Nice, France. A former member of the Brussels Bar, she is also certified by the UK Law Society.

Cristina’s career in public service began as Secretary of State and EU accession negotiator, later serving as Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she contributed to multilateral diplomacy initiatives in Eastern Europe, bridging integration between Western and Eastern European countries. She has held senior advisory roles within both the European Parliament and the European Commission, where she continues to shape EU strategies in digital regulation, cybersecurity, and AI governance.

At the intersection of law and digital innovation, Cristina served as Director at the Council of the Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), where she was responsible for engagement with Eastern European countries. She has been deeply involved in transnational discussions on intellectual property rights, digital ethics, and cross-border regulation. Her membership at the Center for Intellectual Property Policy (CIPP) at McGill University reflects her ongoing commitment to interdisciplinary research and global policy engagement in the evolving IP landscape.

She has held academic positions and affiliations at institutions including the European University Institute (Florence), Stanford Law School (Center for Internet and Society), ULB, and EIPA Luxembourg. Cristina lectures widely on EU governance, digital law, and cyber diplomacy, and her work has appeared in major international media including Politico Europe, Financial Times, Deutsche Welle, and Sky News Australia.

Her global impact is evident through collaborations with universities and think tanks in China, Japan, India, Singapore, and ASEAN countries more broadly engaging in digital diplomacy initiatives and advising on ethical AI, data governance, and digital trade policy.

Recognized as a leading voice in digital diplomacy, Cristina has been named a Top EU Digital Influencer (2019–2024) and one of the Top 50 Global Digital Influencers by IPFC Franc in 2024. Her thought leadership continues to influence public and private sector strategies on digital rights, AI ethics, and Europe’s technological autonomy.