Speakers

Baiba MILTOVIČA has been appointed in 2020 President of the “Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and Information Society” Section (TEN) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). At the same time, Ms Miltovica serves as Board Member of the Latvian National Association for Consumer Protection (LPIAA) and actively co-operates with the European Consumer Organization (BEUC) on the European Commission Horizon 2020 and DG Justice and Consumers projects. 

Rosalinde VAN DER VLIES is the new Director of DG ENER’s Directorate B, responsible for Just Transition, Consumers, Efficiency, and Innovation. Before this appointment, Ms. van der Vlies served as the Director of the Clean Planet Directorate in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. Previously, she worked in the Directorate-General for Environment, Directorate-General for Justice and Home Affairs, and in the private office of Janez Potočnik, the European Commissioner for the Environment.

Alejandro ULZURRUN is the head of the Consumers, Local Initiatives, Just Transition unit in the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy, where he has previously been in charge of the Energy Security and Safety unit and the Inter-institutional Relations and Communication unit. He joined the European Commission in 1997, holding different responsibilities in several of its departments (Enterprise, Communication, External Relations) and its Secretariat-General. Between 2010 and 2014, he was head of unit in the Commission's Spokesperson’s Service.

Laurens RUTTEN is part of the energy team at The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC). Together with his colleagues he works to bring affordable, clean energy to Europeans and thereby support global climate ambitions. He manages a programme of policy initiatives, projects, and knowledge-sharing actions to contribute to that aim. A geography graduate, his personal interests include – but are not limited to – architecture, botanic gardens, local histories, public transport, and urban/regional planning.

Felix KRIEDEMANN is a Senior Policy Advisor at REScoop.eu, the european federation of energy communities. His background is in EU Public Affairs and he has worked in trade associations, as well as the European Parliament. His focus is on citizen-led renovations (CLR), energy efficiency, and Community Heating and Cooling (CH&C) to democratise the EU's energy system.

Corina MURAFA is an independent public policy expert, activist and university lecturer in climate, energy and sustainability. She has been collaborating with large non-profit, public and private organisations Since 2023 she gives a voice to civil society organisations working on climate and energy in Brussels, as a member of the European Economic and Social Committee after having served a similar position at national level in the past four years. Her work focuses mostly on the just energy transition, energy poverty and ESG transformations in corporations. She is a member of the Romanian Energy Poverty Observatory and a lecturer, PhD, at the Faculty of Business Administration.

Veronique MARX is the team leader for just transition and energy poverty in the Directorate General for Energy of the European Commission in Brussels. In her role she coordinates a variety of programmes on inclusive and competitive just energy transition, as well as the Commission’s response to prevailing energy poverty in the EU. Previously, for four years, she was responsible for coordinating the EU’s energy policy in the Secretariat-General of the European Commission coordinating the Fit for 55 package and REPowerEU communications. She joined the European Commission in 2011.

Dora BIONDANI is a Project Manager at Climate Alliance, where she leads initiatives at the intersection of energy, environment, and the social dimensions of the transition. She currently coordinates the Energy Poverty Advisory Hub (EPAH), the EU’s leading initiative—launched by the European Commission at the request of the European Parliament—to combat energy poverty and accelerate a just energy transition at the local level across Europe. Dora holds a Master’s degree in Engineering and an MBA in Energy and Sustainability. Her career spans both the profit and non-profit sectors, where she has managed projects focused on renewable energy, the circular economy, and sustainability.

Tuscany BELL is responsible for the energy, waste and water sectors at the European Federation of Public Service Unions, as well as for European Works Councils and Company Policy. She has extensive experience in labour rights and industrial relations and a academic background in political science and law.

Pablo CARNERO MELERO is working as a consultant for REHVA since February 2023, balancing the role of Technical and EU Project Officer with the secretariat of the Technology Research Committee. His research and practice have traditionally been linked to energy performance and decarbonisation of existing buildings, integrating more recently the topic building smartness. Beyond his technical background, he is passionate about the social and economic aspect of energy access and use. He has collaborated in the past with local initiatives in the field of energy poverty and has been involved in educational programs for the upskilling of architects in dwelling energy renovation.

Marc DUFOUR is Senior Engineer at the European Investment Bank. In parallel, Mr. Dufour is Member of the Investment Committee of Green for Growth Fund. He previously worked at ENGIE in Mexico, Uruguay and Brazil. He developed his career on energy at ALSTOM Power in Saudi Arabia and Safran Aircraft Engines in India and Canada.

Hanna ZDANOWSKA, Mayor of the City of Łódź since 2010, environmental engineer, graduate of the Łódź University of Technology, Member of the Polish Parliament (2007 – 2010). In the 2024 local elections, she was elected for the fourth term, receiving 60% of the vote in the first round. She started the largest Łódź’s revitalisation program in Poland. Hanna Zdanowska, full member of the European Committee of the Regions since 2019, is engaged in work for ENVE and CIVEX Commissions. Additionally, she is a member of the Green Deal Going Local Working Group in the CoR. She was nominated National Ambassador of the Covenant of Mayors and as a committed to climate actions and citizens engagement leader, she decided to join the European family of Climate Pact Ambassadors. She was also appointed as the CoR liaison person to the Mayors Advisory Group for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission.
Recently, she has been working as rapporteur for the following CoR opinion “Action Plan for Affordable Energy – how to secure affordable, stable and clean energy for all EU cities and regions”.