Ursula von der Leyen has assembled an impressive team of European commissioners to steer the EU’s executive arm for the next five years. After her surprise nomination in July to become commission president, followed by a scramble to win the approval of the European Parliament, the former German defence minister has begun to outline a clear strategic vision that the body has too often lacked in the past.

Ms von der Leyen has created a two-tier structure of senior and junior commissioners, retained the strongest performers from the outgoing college and achieved gender balance while giving women many of the biggest jobs.

The appointments, including three executive vice-presidents, say a lot about the incoming commission’s priorities: preserving competitive markets in a digital age, engineering Europe’s transformation into a carbon-neutral economy while maintaining its industrial and innovation capacity.