DANIEL INNERARITY
Director of Globernance (Institute for Democratic Governance) Lecturer of Political Philosophy, researcher «Ikerbasque» in the University of the Basque Country/ Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea and professor in the European University Institute of Florence. He has been a guest lecturer in Sorbonne University, the London School of Economics, the Max Planck Institut of Heidelberg and Georgetown University.
He has received several awards, inter alia, the National Essay Prize and the Prince of Viana Prize for Culture. His research is centred around government in contemporary societies and preparing a theory on complex democracy. His latest books are “Politics in the Times of Indignation” (2015), “Democracy in Europe” (2017), “Politics for the Perplexed” (2018), “The Democracy of Knowledge” (2018), «A Theory of Complex Democracy» (2020) and «Pandemocracia. Una filosofía de la crisis del coronavirus» (2020). He is a regular contributor of opinion in El Correo / Diario Vasco, El País and La Vanguardia newspapers.
ANE AGIRRE ROMARATE
Founding partner of Vesper, a company specialized in organizational transformation and leadership development. Previously, she was Strategy Consultant at KPMG, Director of Knowledge Management and Training at BBVA Group and Director of Talent at EiTB Group.
She holds a degree in Economics and Business Administration and a Master in Advanced Management from Deusto Business School, and is an executive coach accredited by the International Coaching Federation. Throughout her career she has broadened her training with programs at internationally renowned business schools such as IESE, INSEAD, IMD and MIT.
She collaborates with universities and business schools in teaching activities and has been co-author of the blog Viñetas Vesper for 12 years.
She is a member of the Governing Council of the University of Deusto, the Board of Trustees of the Novia Salcedo Foundation, the Board of Directors of the Orkestra Institute and the Board of the Basque Group of the Club of Rome. Previously, he was a member of the Governing Council of the Labayru Foundation and of the Board of Directors of the CAF Group.
XABIER AIERDI URRAZA
Xabier Aierdi Urraza holds a Degree in Sociology (UD, 1980) and Journalism (UPV/EHU, 1984. Doctorate in Sociology from the University of Deusto. Professor at the University of the Basque Country/EHU during almost four decades. Dedicating his work to subjects of ethnicity, identity and immigration. He was the founder and director of Ikuspegi, the Basque Immigration Observatory (2003-2010). Subsequently, together with José Antonio Oleaga he founded and was the director of Begirune Research Laboratory in immigration issues (2011-2013). Advisor of the Basque Government in the Department of Employment and Social Policies (2014-2016). He has been the director of the Sociology and Social Work Department of the University of the Basque Country on several occasions and president of the Basque Sociology and Political Science Association AVSP-ESZPE. He is currently president of Begirune Fundazioa (since 2018) and has participated in many applied social research projects, mainly for public agencies. The most recent is the VI Plan for Intercultural Coexistence, Immigration and Asylum. In addition, he forms part of the Basque Anti-rumours Network ZAS!
ARANTZA ACHA
Arantza Acha has a degree in Biology from the University of the Basque Country and a Master’s degree in Conservation and Rural Development from the University of Kent (UK) and a postgraduate degree in teacher training from the Complutense University of Madrid.
She has worked for 7 years with the Environmental Sciences Unit of the UNESCO Office in Indonesia, two years as a beneficiary of the UNESCO Etxea and Basque Government fellowship program and later as a consultant. Her work focused on promoting sustainable development in Indonesia, East Timor, Philippines and Vietnam.
Since 2014 Arantza is the director of UN Etxea-Basque Country Association for UNESCO (formerly UNESCO Etxea), an association committed to the principles of the United Nations and UNESCO that works for the Basque society to assume as its own the values of human rights, as part of the global challenge of sustainable development of peoples.
In this role, along with the implementation and overall coordination of the management of UN Etxea, she is one of the reference persons for the 2030 Agenda from the Civil Society in the Basque Country and in state and international alliances. She actively participates in training, advisory and advocacy processes for the incorporation of the 2030 Agenda from the perspective of Human Rights and participation. It is worth highlighting his intervention in the 2018 High Level Political Forum as representative of the International Civil Society in the presentation of the Voluntary Report of the Government of Spain to the United Nations.
She is a member, among others, of the Board of Directors of the World Rural Forum, BBK-Kuna Institutoa Think Tank, Aipaz (Spanish Association for Peace Research), the Cooperation Table of Gipuzkoa, ENDAA Elkartea, Basque Council for Cooperation, Civic Council of the City of Bilbao, Alava Alliance for Sustainable Development and the Motor Group of Future in Common. And he teaches in: Master in Sustainable Development of the UNESCO Chair for Sustainable Development (UPV-EHU), the Expert in Internalization and Business Diplomacy (Univ. Deusto), and the University Master In Governance For Sustainable Urban Development – City 2030 (Univ. Deusto), the training of the BEINT program of internationalization of the Basque Government and the various training programs provided by UNESCO Etxea.
JORDI ALBAREDA
Degree in Business Management and Administration by the Deusto Business School. Professor in Marketing and Sales DBS graduate. Professor of Strategic Innovation in the DBS Executive MBA.
Advisor and board member of various companies. Featuring among his professional experience is his auditing experience, strategy consultant in McKinsey&Company and member of the board of directors of Leroy Merlin Spain, performing territorial management duties.
He is currently an entrepreneur in different initiatives related to new technologies and social innovation. Founder of the “Fair Saturday” social impact cultural movement. President of the RAIS Foundation Euskadi, Member of the Board of Directors of the Bilbao Choir Society. Founder of the San Antonio Choir of Iralabarri.
Award winner of Novia Salcedo 2016 in the category of persons.
LEIRE BILBAO
Leyre Bilbao Elguezabal is the General Director of the Basque Innovation Agency – Innobasque, the public-private partnership for Innovation in the Basque Country, that aims to promote innovation collaborating in Basque organisations to place the Basque Country among the highest level or among the innovations leaders in Europe by 2030, as a strategy to attract talent and investment, and to develop an advanced society.
Previously, during the 10th Term in Office of the Basque Government, from the Directorate of Technology and Strategy, Bilbao led the I+D+i competitiveness strategy and the European Union policies, managing programmes of the Science, Technology and Innovation Plan and promoting actions linked to creating and implementing technological and innovative infrastructures linked to the science and technology policy of the Basque Country.
Leire Bilbao is a Computer Engineer by the University of Deusto and an expert in Advanced Management by the IE Business School and Senior Business Management by the IESE Business School. She is a Member of the Board of Directors of BCBL, BCAM and Euskalit.
JUANJO ÁLVAREZ
Degree (1987) and PhD (1993) in Law from the UPV/EHU, on both occasions with Extraordinary Prize. Member of Jakiunde, he received the Eusko-ikaskuntza-Laboral Kutxa Award for Humanities, Culture, Arts and Social Sciences in 2015. Professor of Private International Law at the UPV/EHU since 2001, and visiting professor at numerous national and European Universities and research centers. Co-founder and Secretary of GLOBERNANCE (Institute for Democratic Governance).
He was Secretary General of the Basque Council of the European Movement (EUROBASK/CVME) (May 2003-2012) and was appointed and currently continues to serve as an expert by the EUROPEAN COMMISSION (Directorate General for Justice, Freedom and Security), dated December 17, 2007, for the areas of Civil Justice, borders, protection of personal data and security areas.
Professionally, he works as a lawyer and business consultant in the areas of compliance and international contracting, and is a member of the board of trustees of the UNED Bergara foundation, the Eguia-Careaga foundation (SIIS) and the MATIA foundation. He is a member of the Board of Directors of INNOBASQUE.
He is also an independent director of the Board of Directors of LABORAL KUTXA bank since April 2022.
ANA ENRICH
Ana is Director of Ashoka Barcelona and Director of Partnerships in Ashoka Spain. Member of the cultural centre +Bernat bookshop and collaborator of the Scott and Milá television programme.
Ana Enrich studied Political Sciences between the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona and the Fundaçao Getulio Vargas in Rio de Janeiro. Her passage through the Mondragon University led her to delve into the world of educational innovation and work in the Spanish company BQ launching the educational department. She continued as an expert in this field helping companies such as Santillana or Dupont to address challenges in the educational sector. She takes her interest in educational innovation to the next level and delves into social innovation. She is currently in the Fundación Ashoka where she leads the Partnerships department building bridges to strengthen and advance the social innovation ecosystem in Spain, and is a Social Impact consultant for Zanskar Producciones.
GUILLERMO DORRONSORO
He is Management Board Advisor in Zabala Innovation Consulting, and Professor of Economy, Strategy and Innovation Management in the Deusto Business School.
He is also Director of the Foro Zedarriak for Sustainable Development, and Member in the following boards and groups:
- AMETIC Discussion Group on the impact of digitization in the industrial sector in Spain
- Advisory Board of the Centro de Estrategia y Prospectiva Industrial (CEPI), promoted by the Ministry of Industry and the EOI
- Board of IND+I (Industry+Innovation)
- Innovation Advisory Board of the National Perfume and Cosmetics Association.
- Council of Experts of the BBK Kuna Institutoa Think Tank
Doctorate in Industrial Engineering, he has developed a professional career in business, linked to the strategy and promotion/management of new technology-based businesses, initially as a strategic consultant and then as an executive in global corporations in the energy and information technology sectors (Accenture, Iberdrola, EDP/Naturgas, Socintec/Indra, Ibermática). He was General Manager and Councillor for Computer Science of the Basque Country, and Territorial Director of the North Region for Ibermática.
He has actively participated in the transformation of the Science and Technology System in the Basque Country, as Executive Vice-president of the IK4 Technology Alliance (Technology Centres) and General Director for Technological Innovation of the Basque Innovation Agency. Between 2012 and 2018 he was Dean of the Deusto Business School, and member of the Board of Directors of the Basque Institute of Competitiveness. He was also Academic Director of the Master in Business Innovation taught together by the Deusto Business School and Judge Business School (Cambridge University). In 2018 he received the distinction of Honorary Associate in the Deusto Business Alumni.
LORENA FERNÁNDEZ ALVAREZ
Computer engineer, master’s degree in information security. Currently, director of digital communication at the University of Deusto. Her areas of work are focused on the analysis of how to incorporate the gender perspective in research, study of intersectional biases in Artificial Intelligence as well as the dissemination of the “leaky pipeline” and why we lose female talent in STEM degrees.
🖇 Disseminating publications on these areas in The Conversation.
Member of the European Commission expert group Gendered Innovations, led by Stanford University, to analyze the impact of not incorporating the gender perspective in Artificial Intelligence. Part of the core group of the Horizon Europe RE-WIRING project (Realising Girls’ and Women’s Inclusion, Representation and Empowerment).
She is part of the Comité de Sabias da Cátedra de Feminismos 4.0 da Universidade de Vigo and of the Consejo de Personas Expertas de BBK Kuna Institutoa, chaired by Daniel Innerarity.
She collaborates in the radio program “Hoy por Hoy Bilbao” of Cadena SER since 2009 with a section on technology. She is also a member of the jury of the Ada Byron award for women technologist and mentor of Inspira STEAM, a project that seeks to promote scientific and technological vocation among girls. Together with Pablo Garaizar and Iñigo Maestro, she has created Nobel Run, a board game with a playful and innovative approach, which seeks to question and transform gender stereotypes and inequality in science. She has created the calendar of women scientists.
JAVIER FONT
Javier Font is Executive Vice-President of Intelligence & Public Affairs, a firm dedicated to
dedicated to strengthening the influence capacity of companies in the international arena.
international arena. Lawyer-economist from the University of Deusto and alumnus of the I.M. Altuna
member of the I.M. Altuna Foundation for Advanced Studies.
in public management and technological innovation at the University of Liège (Belgium) and
University of Liège (Belgium) and a Master’s Degree in Public Management at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University (USA).
Throughout his professional career he has been in charge of the Strategic Plan for the Revitalization of Metropolitan Bilbao.
for the Revitalization of Metropolitan Bilbao (Bilbao Metropoli-30), consultant for the Territorial
consultant for the Territorial Development and Public Management Programs of the OECD and advisor on city
city marketing advisor to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). He has also held different
management positions in the communications groups Vocento and Aegis Media (Dentsu International) and has
(Dentsu International) and has been a member of the Intellectual Property Committee of the Association of Newspaper Publishers
of the Association of Spanish Newspaper Publishers (AEDE) and of the Panel of Experts of the Spanish
Experts of the Digital Content Industry in Spain (PwC).
At the European level, he has been a member of the Committee of Experts of the European Urban Audit and of the Advisory Committee on Sustainable
and of the Advisory Committee on Sustainable Development and New Technologies of the Directorate General
Technologies of the Environment Directorate General of the European Commission.
of the European Commission. At the international level, he has been a member of the Working Group on Public Sector Productivity of the
Working Group on Public Sector Productivity of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS).
Administrative Sciences (IIAS).
He is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, Syracuse.
and Public Affairs, Syracuse University and Trustee of the I.M. Altuna Foundation for Advanced Studies.
Advanced Studies Foundation. He is also the Honorary Consul of Sweden in Bilbao and Delegate of the
Delegate of the Spanish-Swedish Chamber of Commerce. He is the author of some twenty
publications on public innovation and strategic urban development.
MARTA MACHO STADLER
Marta Macho Stadler(Bilbao, 1962) is a professor of the University of the Basque Country-Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) and a doctor in Mathematics by the Claude Bernard University of Lyon (France). She is a specialist in topology.
Interested in the dissemination of science, she has participated for many years in different activities in universities, scientific institutions, cultural or teaching centres. She also collaborates in different media, such as the La mecánica del caracol programme on Radio Euskadi or The Conversation.
She is editor of the blog Mujeres con ciencia of the Chair of Scientific Culture of the UPV/EHU.
Inter alia, she forms part of the Basque Cooperation for Development Council of the Basque Government, of the Advisory Council of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology, of the Committee of Scholars of the Chair of Feminisms 4.0 of the University of Vigo and the Council of Experts of BBK Kuna Institutoa.
In 2015 she received the Premio igUAldad from the University of Alicante «for her actions in the defending the equality between men and women and, in particular, for her teaching and informative actions in favour of giving visibility to the contribution of women scientists not only to Academia, but also to social progress». She was also awarded one of the Medals of the Spanish Royal Mathematics Society in its first edition, «for her informative work of mathematics in different educational levels».
In 2016 she was awarded the Emakunde Prize «for her scientific career aimed at disseminating and promoting bringing mathematics and scientific knowledge closer to women, as well as giving visibility and vindicating women scientists and their contributions to Academia as well as to social progress».
In 2019 she was named Illustrious Woman of Bilbao «for her scientific dissemination work and for giving visibility to the role of women in science».
In 2023 she received the 2023 Lilly Foundation Dissemination Prize «for her work in providing support, visibility and promoting women scientists, as well as for her research career and her extensive dissemination work». She has also been awarded the Women Scientists Prize (in the Dissemination modality) from the Muy Interesante magazine.
JORGE GARCIA DEL ARCO
Jorge Garcia del Arco is co-founder and coordinator of AQUADAT, a startup whose aim is to help manage water more sustainably (economically, socially and environmentally). In order to do this, he transforms quality water data into useful decision-making information. This project has been Water Innovation Prize finalist, Galileo Master finalist and Seal of Excellence H2020 Green Deal.
He considers himself an explorer in the Creation of Shared Value for achieving a positive impact. At 16 years of age, he went independent to become the founding partner of a stock corporation. He is a lifelong learner, with an Executive MBA from the IE Business School, and has more than 20 years of experience in management throughout the value chain of the Telecommunications Industry (Ericsson, IBV corp., Euskaltel,…). In the last 7 years he has centred his work on social and environmental innovation projects.
He has been the co-organiser of TEDx Bilbao and the Financial Congress Digital Meeting. He was elected Founding Curator of the Global Shapers Hub Bilbao, a community of the World Economic Forum that empowers young people to play an active role in the design of local, regional and global agendas.
CRISTINA RUIZ
Born in Getxo and resident in Bilbao, she has been working at Teknei Group since January 2023. Previously, she was Director of Institutional Relations at Amatech Group, a consulting, technological services and digital transformation company. Contributor to Radio Euskadi and opinion columnist.
She holds a degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Deusto and a PhD in Sociology (outstanding cum laude) from the Public University of Navarra, where she has more than 20 years of teaching experience as an associate professor. She also holds a Master in “Political and Electoral Communication Management” from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and a Master in “Digital Marketing and Business Communication Management” from ESDEN Business School.
In 2011 she was candidate for Mayor of Bilbao. Being head of the opposition, she shared and participated in important projects of the Villa as the internationalization strategy of Bilbao (Euro 2020, Shanghai World Expo …) and positioning of the city (Bilbao university and business city, city of knowledge …).
She has also been a member of the Basque Parliament in the X Legislature and previously proxy in the General Assembly of Bizkaia.
He has served on various boards of directors (Bilbao Ria 2000, Euskal Irrati Telebista, Bilbao Ekintza).
His professional career also includes the company Deusto Consultores, with research work and marketing plans together with Dionisio Cámara, then professor at the Comercial de Deusto and Director of the marketing department, as well as the direction of studies and programming of the Fundación para la Libertad (Foundation for Freedom).
MIKEL MANCISIDOR
Mikel Mancisidor, jurist, PhD in International Relations and Diplomacy (Geneva School of Diplomacy) and PhD in History (University of Deusto), is a member (independent expert) of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (2013- 2024).
He teaches International Law, Human Rights and International Relations at the University of Deusto, Mondragon Unibertsitatea and American University (Washington College of Law). He has participated in numerous UN and UNESCO international conferences.
He received the Humanities, Culture and Social Sciences Award from Eusko Ikaskuntza – Laboral Kutxa (2020) and the Gold Medal for Human Rights from the Liga Pro-Derechos Humanos (2013). He is a full member of the Real Sociedad Bascongada de Amigos del País (2019) and of JAKIUNDE – Academia Vasca de las Ciencias, las Artes y las Letras (Basque Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters).
BEATRIZ ACHA
Born in Getxo (Bizkaia), she holds a degree in Sociology and Political Science from the University of Deusto and a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences from the Center for Advanced Studies in Social Sciences (CEACS) of the Juan March Institute of Studies and Research (Madrid). He did his doctoral thesis at the Department of Political Science of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) on the rise of far-right parties from a comparative perspective and with a special look at the German case of the Republikaner. In addition to right-wing extremism, his areas of interest also cover the phenomena of nationalism, political parties and, in general, the transformations of contemporary democratic political systems in Western Europe.
In 2021 he wrote a book for Gedisa’s More Democracy Series, entitled “Analyzing the Rise of the Ultra-Right. Emergence, Ideology and Rise of the New Far-Right Parties.” Other previous works have been published, for example, by Routledge. Her latest contribution (2024) has reviewed the mobilization patterns of the Spanish ultra-right during the last decades, within a collective project on the transformation of social movements edited by Marcial Pons and the Spanish Federation of Sociology.
She was professor of sociology at the Public University of Navarra and professor-tutor at the UNED in Pamplona. In 2019 she started working as a participation technician in the City Council of Bilbao.
Since 2021 she has also been an associate professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Communication of the University of the Basque Country- Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV-EHU), where she teaches in the Department of Sociology and Social Work.
AGUSTÍN MARKAIDE
Born in and a resident of Mondragón (Gipuzkoa) he has carried out his professional activity mainly in the cooperatives of the Mondragón corporation where he took on, inter alia, the management of the Erein group of Agri-food cooperatives or the presidency of the Mondragón congress and its permanent commission. For 11 years, up to 2022, he took on the presidency of the Eroski group of which he had been managing director before.
Trained in business sciences (ESTE-DEUSTO) and in law, he has regularly collaborated with the universities of the BC, Deusto and Mondragón teaching different subjects related to business management, about the food sector or about the cooperatives.
He is currently a member of the Oxfam Intermon board of trustees and collaborates with various media and different businesses and institutions.
He has recently received the recognition of the Spanish food sector represented in the ‘foof4future’ trade fair, for his career. In addition, the Basque Government has awarded him the Gonzalo Nardiz career prize, nominated by the food sector and by the social-cooperative sector.
IVAN MARTEN ULIARTE
President of Orkestra, Basque Institute of Competitiveness.
He has more than thirty years of professional experience in strategic consulting, advising companies and governments on energy and industrial issues, combining solid international experience with strong roots in the Basque Country. He is currently an independent advisor to international entities such as T2 Energy Transition Fund, Denmark Innovation Fund, Aspen Institute, and local entities such as Ente Vasco de Energía, Innobasque, Tecnalia, Universidad de Deusto, among others.
Internationally recognized speaker on energy, environmental and geopolitical issues. He has participated in forums such as the International Energy Forum, the Energy Access Platform or the Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable.
PhD Summa Cum Laude in Economics.
ANGEL TOÑA
Doctorate in Economic and Business Sciences, University of Deusto.
Between 1977 and 1978, professional in a firm of labour lawyers. From 1981, Managing Director and then chairman of the Board of Directors of PRINTEK, in Zamudio. Promotor, leading partner and chairman of the Board of DORLETA S.A., dedicated to publishing magazines and books on cycling. From 1991, non-executive chairman of Sport-Press Ibérica.
From 2001 to 2015 he was Counsellor for Employment and Social Polices of the Basque Government, including the Housing department, between 2015 and 2016. Deputy Counsellor for Labour (1991), Director for Employment in the first term of office (1980), and previously in the Basque General Council (1978/1979).
He has also been a member of the EITB Board of Directors in the mid-1980s and member of the Economic and Social Council of the Basque Country in 2014.
Professor at the University of Deusto since 1977. He currently teaches subjects related to Conflict Mediation in the Master of Human Resources, in the Deusto Business School
Since I was young, I have participated in associations related to the so-called Third Sector, particularly helping disadvantaged groups and immigrants. I am currently, a partner and member of the Board of Directors of the BIZITEGI Association.
Entrepreneur in the fields of innovation and Artificial Intelligence. Founder of Sherpa, Anboto group, BestFarmers.eco and Web Summit. As an activist he promotes local as well as global causes and on the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence. He studied Engineering and Industrial Organisation and Industrial Technical Engineering (specialising in Electronics) at the University of Deusto. He completed his training at the Sloan Management School at MIT and Harvard Business School in the US, at TEC in Monterrey and has an MBI (Master in Business Innovation) from the Deusto Business School. He is also member of the Expert Network of Entrepreneurship and mentor at Oxford University.
In 2010 he was recognised by the MIT Technology Review as one of the TR35 Spain (best innovators under 35 years of age). In 2012 he was included in the yearbook “Los 100 del año” published by El País newspaper as one of the 100 most influential people in the Latin American world. In 2018 as well as in 2019 he has been included in the Choiseul 100 list as one of the leaders of the future under 42 years of age.