European Commission appoints four new EIT Governing Board members

European Commission appoints four new EIT Governing Board members

The European Commission today appointed four new members to the Governing Board of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) in Budapest. The four new members are:

• Péter Lakatos
• Rolf Nagel
• Björn Nilsson
• Dirk Jan van den Berg

They will take up their mandate today and join the other members of the Board at the next EIT Governing Board meeting in September.

Peter Olesen, Chairman of the EIT Governing Board, said, ‘I am delighted to welcome a wealth of new talent and experience to the EIT Governing Board. With the Call for new Knowledge and Innovation Communities having recently closed, and two new KICs soon to be announced, the world of innovation and entrepreneurship at the EIT is certainly never dull. I look forward to the insights and experience our new members will bring to reinforcing the EIT’s mission to contribute to sustainable European economic growth and competitiveness.’

The new Governing Board members were chosen for their strong backgrounds in business and innovation and will be a positive addition to the EIT Governing Board and the larger EIT Community.

The four new members replace Gábor Bojár, Ulf Johansson, Gianfelice Rocca and Jeroen van der Veer, whose mandate has now ended.

‘The new Board members will help guide the EIT and the KICs in contributing to Europe's innovation capacity by delivering new and cutting-edge education activities, developing innovative solutions to significant societal challenges and by extending their activities further across Europe's regions,’ said Tibor Navracsics, EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport.

Background

The EIT Governing Board is the principal governing body of the EIT and is entrusted with the role of strategic leadership and the overall direction of the operational activities implemented by the EIT Headquarters. The Governing Board is independent and autonomous in its decision-making and is responsible for the selection, evaluation and support of the Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs).

The Governing Board brings together 15 high-calibre members balancing prominent expertise from the higher education, research, business and innovation fields. It consists of 12 Appointed Members and three Representative Members, professionals chosen for their expertise and experience in education, research and business. It oversees the strategic direction of the EIT and the selection of its operating partners, the Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). 

See the European Commission's Daily News here.