Public administration advisory
GILLES BABINET
Gilles Babinet is a French multi-entrepreneur, born in 1967 in Paris. Since 1989, he created 9 companies in various areas of activity, such as mobile music (Musiwave), co-creation (Eyeka) or Big Data marketing (CaptainDash).
He was appointed Digital Champion in 2012 by Fleur Pellerin, French minister of digital technologies, and works with Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner in charge of digital technologies. This function is the right follow up of his former position as president of the French National Digital Council (CNN).
Gilles Babinet published his first book in January 2014, "l'Ère numérique, un nouvel âge de l'humanité", where he discusses the impact of new technologies on our societies, our lives and our institutions. Throughout his book, he identifies five areas such as Education, Healthcare, the State, Knowledge and Production, that are deeply challenged in the context of the ongoing digital revolution. His new book, "Big Data : penser l'homme et le monde autrement", came out in February 2015 and deals with economic and social issues linked to the eruption of the data. In 2016 he launched Africa 4 Tech, a 72-hours executive seminar for sourcing and designing innovative solutions for Africa in sectors including Health, Education, Energy & Agriculture/Fooding.
EDIT HERCZOG
Founder of Vision & Values Edit Herczog is a change leader and strategic adviser with wide experience in the European public and private sectors, with broad knowledge on the global geopolitical landscape. She stands for 21st century transformation, achieved by modernisation-based prosperity, from research to technology deployment, and is a committed supporter of transatlantic cooperation. She is an expert in achieving necessary legislation (policies, regulations) and financial resource allocations and believes that it is essential to effectively communicate complex technology issues to the wider public. Edit is also a member of the High Level Expert Group for Interim Evaluation of Euratom Research and Training Programme 2014-2018.
She served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2014, in the Committee for Industry Telecommunication and Research, and in the Committee for Budget and Budget Control. From 2009 to 2014 she was elected Vice President responsible for Human and Financial Resource Management of the second largest political group (S&D) in the EP. Before her professional carrier, Edit was a regional manager responsible for Central Eastern Europe for National Starch and Chemical (part ICI).
Among many civil and business engagements, she is honorary member and former governor of the European Internet Forum (EIF), member of the Research Data Alliance (RDA) , member of the Transatlantic Policy Network (TPN) to promote legislator dialog, and president of Federation of Regional Actors (FEDRA), to promote growth and jobs for SMEs over Europe. Edit was born in Hungary and is currently living in Brussels.
LEE HIBBARD
Lee Hibbard is the Internet governance co-ordinator at the Council of Europe. He liaises with governments and other stakeholders, including ICANN, the private sector and intergovernmental organisations, in various international forums. He also facilitates the Council of Europe’s Internet Governance Strategy 2016-2019 which includes the establishment of a platform for major Internet companies and governments in support of human rights and the rule of law online. In recent years, he has facilitated Council of Europe policy on human rights guidelines for ISPs, network neutrality, freedom of expression, and children’s empowerment and protection online.
In 2016, he co-authored “Education 3.0 and Internet Governance: A New Global Alliance for Children and Young People’s Sustainable Digital Development” for the Global Commission on Internet Governance.
ANJA KASPERSEN
Anja Kaspersen joined the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2014, heading its work on geopolitics, international security and, in particular, on improving responses to global, regional and industry challenges. She has previously worked with the Norwegian Government the UN(peacekeeping), and in research and academia. She has published widely on geopolitics, international security affairs and global governance issues and is a regular commentator and lecturer.
BRUNO MAÇÃES
Bruno Maçães was the junior minister for Europe in the Portuguese government from July 2013 until November 2015. He was decorated by Spain and Romania for his work in government. He is a nonresident associate at Carnegie Europe. His research focuses on EU integration and foreign policy, trade policy, and broader globalization trends.
He received his doctorate in political science from Harvard University in 2007. He has taught at Yonsei University in Seoul and Bard College in Berlin. In 2008 he was a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC, where his work focused on the political implications of the biotechnological revolution. He has also worked for a number of political risk consultancy firms.
He is finishing a book on the struggle for the borderlands between Europe and Asia and the prospects for Eurasian economic and political integration. His essays and commentaries on the Eurozone crisis, immigration, trade, and digital policy have been published in the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Politico, the Guardian, and Wired.
SPYROS A. PAPPAS
From 1995 to 2001 Spyros Pappas held a number of senior positions in the European Commission, including: Director General, Consumer Policy, Director-general Information, Communication, Culture and Audiovisual Policy, and Director General, Education and Culture (EDUC). He returned to private law practice in 2001, and is currently a member of both the Athens and Brussels Bar Associations.
He has written numerous articles and books in administrative and constitutional law, European law, competition policy. Recent articles include: “The New European Governance”, “The Euro-Digital Democracy”, “After Nice: more intergovernmental or more federal?”, “The cultural dimension of Euro”, “The paradoxes of the European Community”, “A new era of competition policy under the guidance of the Court of First Instance”, “The alteration of the right of initiative of the European Commission”, “The competence of making regulatory decisions of the European Commission”, “Morale and change in the Union”. His books include: “Current trends and developments in the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Communities” EIPA, vol. I, 1993, vol. II 1995; “National Procedures for the preparation and implementation of Community decisions”, EIPA, 1994; “EC Competition Law: Financial aspects”, UK Association of European Law and EIPA, 1994, coed. with Lord Slyn; “The changing roles of Parliaments in the European Union, EIPA, 1995, co-ed. with Prof. F. Laursen; “The European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy: the challenges of the future”, EIPA, 1996, co-ed. with S. Vanhoonacker.
ANTÓNIO XAVIER
A senior official in the Portuguese Ministry of Culture since 1974 António Xavier was a member of Portuguese delegation at the discussion of the cultural agreement between Portugal and France. In 1990 he became General Director of the Public Shows and Copyright department within the Ministry of Culture. He led the portuguese delegation in the negotiations of copyright european directives, concerning rental, cable and satellite TV, and duration. In 1993, he became chairman of the “Scenic Arts Institut”, responsible for the management of the National Theatre of D.Maria (Lisbon) and National Theatre of S.João (Oporto). He also became a member of the board of directors of the National Opera Theatre S.Carlos (Lisbon). In 1998 he became President of CCE—Comissão de Classificação de Espectáculos (the Portuguese Board of Classification of films, video, DVD, theatre plays and computer games). He became Chairman of the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) Advisory Board in 2005 and was the PEGI Council Chairman from 2009 until 2012. He remains a member of PEGI Council. Hi is an amateur filmmaker, author of several films in Super-8, President of the Board of the Portuguese Federation of Cinema and Audiovisual, and a jury member of a number of non-professional film festivals. He was a member of the Advisory Board of Portuguese Cinema Institut and the author of “The Laws of Public Shows and Copyright – From Theatre to Internet” and “From Bogotá to Budapest”.