Mr Mitolidis studied economics in Greece and the UK. Before joining the European Commission, he worked in the Greek Ministry of Finance on customs and trade issues. He started his European Commission carrier in 2003 working in the Directorate General for Trade (DG TRADE) on trade defense issues. Since 2011 he works in the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE). He initially worked as deputy head of unit first in the Fisheries Control and Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing unit and then in the Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries conservation unit. From 2018 to 2023 he was head of unit of the Structural Support Mediterranean, Black Sea and landlocked Member States unit. As from January 2024 he is director of the Fisheries Policy, Mediterranean and Black Sea Directorate of DG MARE.