Conference Session ‘How the EIT KICs will shape the future of innovation in Europe’

Speakers for this event

• Angelova-Krasteva, Antoaneta

  Angelova-Krasteva, Antoaneta

  Director, DG EAC, European Commission

  Antoaneta Angelova-Krasteva, Director for Innovation, International Cooperation and Sport at DG EAC since 1 October 2016. Her current job include, amongst other things, also responsibilities for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, which are part of Horizon 2020, the EU Research and Innovation programme (2014 – 2020). Joining the European Commission in 2008, firstly in DG Justice, Liberty and Security Antoaneta was dealing with external relations and enlargement. Then she worked at DG HOME on internal security and police cooperation before becoming Head of Unit at DG CONNECT where, from 2011 – 2016, she was responsible for cyber security, stakeholder relations and international affairs. Prior to working for the European Commission, she worked on Bulgaria’s accession to the EU in the field of justice and home affairs. A graduate in political science of Sofia University, Antoaneta has also acquired training and qualifications in democracy and governance matters, and European studies in Germany (Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung) and the UK (Sussex University). She has also gained valuable professional experience from working for NGOs active on legal and political matters. Joining the European Commission in 2008, firstly in DG Justice, Liberty and Security Antoaneta was dealing with external relations and enlargement. Then she worked at DG HOME on internal security and police cooperation before becoming Head of Unit at DG CONNECT where, from 2011 – 2016, she was responsible for cyber security, stakeholder relations and international affairs. Prior to working for the European Commission, she worked on Bulgaria’s accession to the EU in the field of justice and home affairs. A graduate in political science of Sofia University, Antoaneta has also acquired training and qualifications in democracy and governance matters, and European studies in Germany (Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung) and the UK (Sussex University). She has also gained valuable professional experience from working for NGOs active on legal and political matters

  Director, DG EAC, European Commission

• Georgoulias, Konstantinos

  Georgoulias, Konstantinos

  Director of EU Affairs and RIS, EIT Manufacturing

  Dr. Konstantinos Georgoulias is the Director of EU Affairs and RIS of EIT Manufacturing. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics and has been actively involved in research and innovation activities from 2002. He has been working on a variety of technical topics, focused on the fields of production planning, flexibility and change management, mass customization, operational planning, networked manufacturing and circular economy. He has been involved in several European R&D&I projects, contributing to technological advancement and to the development of innovative solutions, cooperating with major automotive and aerospace companies, as well as with several companies from various other industrial sectors (e.g. footwear industry, commercial refrigeration, manufacturing equipment, furniture, etc). He has given many scientific and technical presentations in large International Workshops and Conferences and has more than thirty publications, including invited keynote articles and speeches

  Director of EU Affairs and RIS, EIT Manufacturing

• Kern, Martin

  Kern, Martin

  Director, EIT

  Martin Kern was the Interim Director and Chief Operating Officer at the EIT from 1 August 2014 until his appointment as Director by the EIT Governing Board on 23 August 2019. Prior to joining the EIT, he worked at the European Commission for 15 years in a variety of posts, mainly in the area of enlargement policy and with financial assistance to support economic and social development programmes. Working for the EU, he held a variety of positions, the latest being Head of Operations at the EU Delegation to Serbia where he coordinated the programming and implementation of EU funds to bring Serbia closer to EU accession and among many issues, he led the EU’s rapid response following the disastrous floods in Serbia in May 2014. Previously, he worked as country coordinator for financial assistance for the Turkey team in the European Commission’s DG Enlargement. In 2009, he was seconded to the Swedish Foreign Ministry in Stockholm during their EU Presidency by the European Commission. He started his career in the EU in Lithuania and Estonia, working in the EU Delegations and helping the two countries join the EU and ending his six years in the Baltic States as Acting Head of the EU Representation in Tallinn. Following the accession of the 10 new Member States to the EU in 2004, he continued working on financial assistance, dealing, among other things, with the follow-up in the use of EU funds in Bulgaria and Romania around the time of their accession. He began his career after a brief stint at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in Geneva, and has Master's degrees in Economics and English from the University of Heidelberg and in European Studies from the University of Reading.

  Director, EIT

• Klossek, Andreas

  Klossek, Andreas

  Interim CEO, COO, Managing Director, EIT RawMaterials

  Dr Andreas Klossek is the Interim CEO, COO and Managing Director of EIT RawMaterials, a Knowledge and Innovation Community supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union. Dr Andreas Klossek holds a PhD in International Management from TU Bergakademie Freiberg and has worked extensively in the metals and minerals sector by leading projects on Innovation managements, strategy development, economics and evaluation and successful acquisition of large project funds. Prior to joining EIT RawMaterials Andreas was head of the division of Helmholtz Institute Freiberg, German think Tank for R&D in metals and minerals sector.

  Interim CEO, COO, Managing Director, EIT RawMaterials

• Menna, Federico

  Menna, Federico

  Head of Innovation and Education Operations, EIT Digital

  Federico Menna is the Head of Innovation and Education Operations at EIT Digital. He joined the organization in 2015 and before being appointed as the Head of Innovation and Education Operations, he worked as Innovation Analyst at the EIT Digital Headquarters in Brussels. Prior to joining EIT Digital, he worked for 8 years for Vodafone Group, dealing with the launch of new mobile technologies to the market. He has a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. in Telecommunications Engineering from the University of Trento, Italy.

  Head of Innovation and Education Operations, EIT Digital

• Pavia, Diego

  Pavia, Diego

  CEO, EIT KIC InnoEnergy

  Diego Pavía graduated as electrical engineer, specialising in electronics and automation from the Polytechnical University of Madrid. His first professional experience, in 1988, was as co-founder and CEO of a start-up called: Knowledge Engineering. The start-up dealt with industrial controls systems using artificial intelligence and neural networks. Three years later he joined Sema Group (shortly after renamed: SchlumbergerSema), and started a long career with private companies. At SchlumbergerSema, Diego headed multicultural working groups all over the world in the field of energy, with revenues of $650M. Between 2002 and 2010, Diego was the CEO of Atos Origin, a leading international IT service provider, where he was responsible for Spain and South America, about 9,000 employees, and an annual turnover of €450M. Diego has been CEO of InnoEnergy, since 2010. As a serial entrepreneur, Diego has created seven companies in his lifetime.

  CEO, EIT KIC InnoEnergy

• Spence-Jackson, Helen

  Spence-Jackson, Helen

  Head of EU Affairs, EIT Climate-KIC

  Helen Spence-Jackson is Head of EU Affairs at EIT Climate-KIC. Supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, EIT Climate-KIC is a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC), working to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon economy by identifying and supporting innovation that helps society mitigate and adapt to climate change. Prior to joining EIT Climate-KIC in 2017, Helen worked for the EU office of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, where she managed the EU Green Growth Platform and the EU Corporate Leaders Group. Earlier in her career she worked for a variety of regional and local government organisations.

  Head of EU Affairs, EIT Climate-KIC