Philippa Karsera Christodoulides
First Lady of the Republic of Cyprus
Profile
Philippa Karsera Christodoulides is a Cypriot career diplomat. She joined the Diplomatic Service of the Republic of Cyprus in November 1999, serving until the 28th of February 2023 in various positions in Cyprus and abroad.
Philippa Karsera served at the High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in Britain, at the Embassy in Athens and the Permanent Representation of Cyprus in Brussels. She had also headed the European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served as an adviser to the former President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Nikos Anastasiades on European affairs.
She is married to Nikos Christodoulides and has four daughters, Ioanna, Ekaterini, Despina and Phoeve.
Employment and Work Experience
- 2022 (February)- 2023 (February): Nicosia, Cyprus
Head of the Crisis Management Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, Minister Plenipotentiary, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. - 2020-2022: Location: Nicosia Cyprus
Deputy Secretary General for European Union Affairs of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus. - 2018-2020: Location: Nicosia Cyprus
Deputy Director of the Diplomatic Office of the President, Head of European Union Affairs. From April 2018 to March 2021, she was also the Advisor of the President of the Republic of Cyprus on EU Affairs (EU/Sherpa). - 2014-2018: Location: Nicosia Cyprus
Head of European Union -Turkey and European Union –Turkish Cypriot Community Department, Counsellor A’, Cyprus Question and Turkey Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nicosia.
Greek Cypriot Representative in the Bicommunal Ad Hoc Committee on European Union Preparation from October 2015 until July 2017 (Cyprus Bicommunal Talks). - 2013-2014: Location: Nicosia Cyprus
European Correspondent, Counsellor A’, Political Affairs Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nicosia. - 2011-2013: Location: Brussels Belgium
Counsellor Α’, Responsible for European Union Enlargement Issues, Turkey and Turkish Cypriots in European Union, Permanent Representation of the Republic of Cyprus to the European Union, Brussels President-in-Office of the Enlargement Group during the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union. (2nd Semester of 2012), President-in-Office of the Ad Hoc Group for Cyprus and President-in-Office of COVEME Group (Monitoring Mechanism for Bulgaria and Romania) - 2008-2011: Location: Athens Greece
Counsellor Β’, Responsible for Political Issues, Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Athens. - 2006-2008: Location: Nicosia Cyprus
First Secretary, Diplomatic Office of the President of the Republic of the Republic of Cyprus, Presidential Palace, Nicosia. - 2002-2006: Location: London United Kingdom
Second Secretary, Responsible for Political Issues at the High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in London, Cyprus Representative to the Commonwealth. - 2000-2002: Location: Nicosia Cyprus
Attaché, Cyprus Question and Turkey Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nicosia - 1999-2000: Location: Nicosia Cyprus
Attaché, Political Directorate Bilateral Relations (Balkan Countries), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nicosia. - 1999-2000: Location: Nicosia Cyprus
Member of the Diplomatic Service of the Republic of Cyprus, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nicosia.
Academic Education
- 2017-2020:
Degree in LLB, Law / University of Cyprus. - 1998-1999:
Postgraduate Studies (MA) War Studies / Kings College of London. - 1994-1998:
Bachelor Degree (BSc) International and European Studies / Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences in Athens.
Language Proficiency
English, French, Greek