NEREUS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Management Board
- Director of the Catalonia Space Office at the Institute
Dr. Josep Colomé is the director of the Catalonia Space Office at the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC). He holds a degree and PhD in Physics from the University of Barcelona (UB) and has been involved in space technology and research projects since 2002, when he joined the IEEC. He obtained a permanent position at the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC, IEEC) in 2007 and, since then, he has had different responsibility roles as project manager (Cherenkov Telescope Array, Warwick 1-m Telescope, CARMENES instrument) and unit director (Director of the Montsec Observatory at the IEEC, Head of the Advanced Engineering Unit at the ICE-CSIC, Head of the Knowledge Transfer Office at the IEEC). He is currently the Spanish national project manager for two missions of the European Space Agency (ESA) - Ariel and LISA -, and he is leading the Catalonia Space Office since 2022, one of the key instruments in Catalonia for the promotion of space sector and the implementation of the NewSpace strategy, in collaboration with other partners and under the leadership of the Catalan Government.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Management Board
Duarte Cota has a BEng degree in Computer Engineering and is currently finishing a MSc in Computer Engineering and Web Technology. He is a technical and scientific consultant for the Portuguese delegation of ESERO - European Space Education Resource Office of ESA - European Space Agency for several educational projects in the aerospace sector and a member of the Technical Evaluation Board of EuRoC - European Rocketry Challenge, an initiative of the Portuguese Space Agency. He has two decades of experience teaching high school students. Since 2022 he is a member of the Azores Mission Structure for Space that has the main role of implementing the Azores Space Strategy and is also a member of the executive board for RIS3 Azores (Research and Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization in the Azores) for the strategic sector of Space.
Job Titles:
- Administrative and Financial Assistant
Emmanuelle, a proficient Administrative and Financial Assistant, plays a vital role in bolstering the management of the NEREUS network and facilitating smooth operations at the NEREUS secretariat. With academic credentials spanning Modern Languages and Business Management from esteemed institutions in France, Britain, and Belgium's ICHEC, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her role. Emmanuelle's professional journey has seen her thrive in diverse international settings, where her multicultural acumen shines. Her commitment extends to leveraging space technologies for the collective good, underscoring her invaluable contribution to the space sector.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Management Board
Eugenio Fontán, has a MSC in Telecom at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. He is currently the General Director of Cooperation with the State and International Affairs in the Madrid Regional Government. In the last eight years, Mr. Fontán has been the General Director of Madrid Aerospace Cluster.
He has extensive experience in the fields of telecommunications, space industry and political management in these sectors, both as a senior consultant for European public administrations and private companies. He has held the Presidency and the Deanship of the public and private Spanish associations of telecommunication engineers and has been CEO of both private broadcasting operators and satellite communications companies. He was also the principal advisor of the Prime Minister of Spain Mr. Aznar for telecommunications, space and aeronautics.
He has been a partner and coordinator of a significant number of projects in H2020, Erasmus and Interreg calls.
Job Titles:
- Communication and Project Officer
Margarita is strongly passionate about space and communications and she successfully contributed to several project management programmes at the European Parliament as well as in the overall EU sphere.
Her work experience and in-depth knowledge of politics, communication and space studies, which are underpinned by her Masters' degrees, clearly emerged in her publication entitled ‘The Sustainable Commercialisation of Space: The Case for a Voluntary Code of Conduct for the Space Industry' in the world's leading academic journal, Space Policy (link). In 2023, she was appointed as a mentor of Space4Women, an initiative of UNOOSA.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Management Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Management Board
- Vice - President of the Management Board
- Marshal of the Podkarpackie Region
Władysław Ortyl - Marshal of the Podkarpackie Region, Poland (elected in May 2013), member of the European Committee of the Regions and COTER commission. Degree in aviation construction at Mechanical Department of Rzeszów University of Technology in 1979. From 1992 to 1998 - Chairman of the Board of Mielec Regional Development Agency. From 2005 to 2007 - Secretary of State at the Ministry of Regional Development where he was responsible for the implementation of Integrated Regional Operation Programme and preparation of Regional Operation Programmes, as well as the Eastern Poland Operation Programme and transborder programmes cofinanced by the EU. From 2005 he was also the Member of the Senate where he chaired the National Defence Committee.
"The voice of the NEREUS network must be heard during the creation of the European Space Policy, where it should raise the importance of space policy for the development of European regions." Marshal Władysław Ortyl, Podkarpackie Region (Poland)
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Management Board
Perdita de Buhr is Head of Unit Economics, Energy, Transport and Housing at the Representation of the State of Hessen to the European Union since 2011 and has become a Member of the Management Board of NEREUS 2015. She grew up in the Netherlands and read law at the Universities of Passau as well as Münster. Once qualified as a German lawyer and additionally holding the legal doctorate in 1993, she started her professional carrier in the Saxon State Ministry of Science and Art, from where she moved to other positions related to Economics and Science, among them the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin.
Since 2009 Secretary-General of NEREUS (Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies) Roya heads its Brussels/Belgium based secretariat and is the main interface of the association at European level. Roya's core responsibilities comprise advocacy towards the European institutions and the European Space Agency, positioning the network with respect to space policy developments, international networking, and collaborations as well as the overall coordination of the network activities such as EC/ESA-funded projects and key political events. In this context, she volunteered as a former member of the Horizon2020-Advisory Group and supported project activities of NEREUS' members as a member of different advisory councils of EU-funded projects (e.g. currently CoRdiNet; formerly EMMIA-Advisory Council; DORIS_NET Advisory Council).
Being trained as a German lawyer, Roya held for more than 20 years of positions in European Affairs and has work experience in public administration and associations of civil society represented in Brussels. During her 8 year experience with the Association of German Engineers (VDI) Roya gained an insight into European Research&Innovation Policy and Programs and familiarized with key technologies relevant for the space sector.
NEREUS made Roya a space enthusiast and she joined Women in Aerospace (WIA) to share the fascination with other women and win new-comers for the sector.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Management Board
Rozenn Maréchal is in charge of research and innovation, transport, and social affairs at the Delegation of the Brittany Region to the EU since 2020. She holds a Master in international management from Kedge Business School, France (1998) and a Master in European affairs from Louvain La Neuve University Belgium (2004). After starting her career in the IT sector in Belgium, she worked at the European Commission in the external relations directorate for 3.5 years. She then spent 15 years in public affairs/lobbying and marketing/communication for two European industry associations (EVA -vending; Orgalim- Technology industries incl. its consulting services), she was notably Secretary to the MSSI Electrical initiative and Deputy Secretary General of CEIR. Rozenn was also an ad personam member of EURAMET (metrology) Research Council. She is also a Board Member of the Kedge Business School Alumni Association and the coordinator of its alumni network in Belgium. In addition, she is a Board member and treasurer of the Bretons of Belgium association (UBB).
Job Titles:
- President of the Management Board
Graduated as Engineer in Industrial Chemistry (Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers), Thierry Cotelle has managed several SMIs (Small and Medium Industries) in the aeronautics sector for 25 years and is currently General Director of a Business Unit at Satys Aerospace.
In terms of political commitments, Thierry Cotelle has been Deputy Mayor of Toulouse in charge of employment, economic development, space and aeronautics between 2008 and 2014. Thierry Cotelle is Regional Councillor since 2016 and was previously President of the regional agency for renewable energies (AREC). Since 2021, he is First Vice President for the Commission "Economy, Employment, Re-industrialisation" and belongs to the following thematic commissions "Climate Emergency" and "Water and Risk Prevention". Thierry Cotelle has been elected NEREUS President in December 2021. He is also a member of the Board of NEREUS-associate member Cité de l'Espace for 20 years.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Management Board
- Vice - President of the Management Board
Vito Bardi, former Deputy Commander General of the Guardia di Finanza (Army Corps), has been elected President of the Basilicata Region on 24/03/2019 with 42% of consensus. He leads the regional government since 16/04/2019. He started his long military career in Guardia di Finanza . He was promoted Colonel in December 1995 and he commanded the Tuscany Region of Florence. He was appointed Brigadier General in January 2001 and Head of the 1st Department of the General Command. He was promoted Major General in January 2005 and he was assigned as Regional Commander of Campania. As General in the Army Corps, promoted in February 2009, he held the posts of Interregional Commander of Southern Italy and then Inspector for Educational Institutes. He was then appointed Deputy Commander General of the Corps (Guardia di Finanza) from 5/09/2013, until 4/09/2014. President Bardi holds a degree in economics, law, international and diplomatic sciences, financial economic security sciences .
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Management Board
Vito Bavaro is in charge of the Digital Transformation Section at the Economic Development Department of Apulia Region since 2021. He holds a degree in electronic engineering from the University Federico II of Naples (2001), a Master of Science in aerospace systems from the Kingston University of London (2003) and a Ph.D. in electronic engineering from the University Roma Tre (2008). In 1995 he joined the Italian Air force Academy of Pozzuoli. From 2001 to 2009 he worked as avionic system test engineer at the Italian Air Force Flight Test Center in Pratica di Mare (Rome). In this period he has been involved in several experimentation campaigns and testing activities of avionics and communication systems. In 2002 he attended the 35th Aerosystems Course at the Royal Air Force College in Cranwell. Since 2009 he has been working at Apulia Regional Government. He was in charge of the Digital Systems, Technology and Infrastructures Section of the Healthcare Department until 2020. Today, within the framework of the smart specialization strategy of Apulia Region, his activity is focused on supporting the digital transformation of public local institutions and private companies and the regional aerospace sector.