Gerard de Graaf is Director for the Digital Single Market in Directorate-General "Communications Networks, Content & Technology" (DG CONNECT). In this capacity, he is responsible for a number of policies and instruments which are key to the development of the digital economy in Europe. In addition to overall DSM coordination and future digital policies, his directorate is inter alia responsible for e-commerce, digital platforms, standardisation, innovation policies, blockchain, start-up Europe, access to finance, digital skills, ICT reforms as part of the European Semester, competition aspects and economic analysis of the digital economy (through the Digital Economy and Society Index - DESI).