Ivan Štefanec was born in 1961 in Považská Bystrica. He has been interested in politics and public affairs since his youth. After experience in the private sector and in the management of international companies, he served as a Member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic from 2006 to 2014 and as a Member of the European Parliament since 2014. His priorities are improving the business environment, promoting digitalisation, helping small and medium-sized companies and removing administrative barriers.