Speakers

Dr. Remi Barre, holds a Ingenieur Civil des Mines and PhD in Economics degree ; he is Professor of Science Policy at CNAM University in Paris and Director of the Foresight Department at the General Directorate for Research and Innovation (DGRI) at the Ministry for Higher Education and Research (MESR) ; he has been Director of the Foresight unit of the INRA Research Institute, Director of the Observatoire des Sciences et des Techniques (OST).

Dr. Jorgo Chatzimarkakis was born in Duisburg, Germany in 1966 and has Greek and German nationality. He is member of the National Board of the Free Democratic Party of Germany and Secretary General of the regional branch in Saarland. He furthermore is founding member of DHW (German-Hellenic Economic Association). Since 2004 he is Member of the European Parliament. He was recently announced MEP of the Year 2007 in the sector of Research and Technology, especially for his contribution to the foundation of a European Institute of Innovation and Technology.

Dr. Guenter Clar is the Director Regional Strategies and Innovation, Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum, Stuttgart. Guenter Clar has a thirty year professional record in the field of RTDI, Technology Assessment & Foresight (TA/TF), and also RTDI Support and Regional Development - the underpinning objective in each case to increase the competitiveness of companies, organisations and whole regions. His experience from academia, industry and administration is based on designing, managing and evaluating projects & programmes, and conducting research not only in a number of regions in Europe, but also in fast growing economies in South-East Asia and America. His emphasis is on trans-sectoral, trans-institutional and trans-regional approaches. He has advised and worked in various international organisations, e.g. in DG Research from 1999-2003. There, his focus was on policies for strengthening the strategic dimension of the ERA allowing him to further develop and support TA/TF methodologies and institutional development. Regarding other EC institutions, he was active in collaborating with services of the Council and the Parliament, and with other DGs, providing strategic inputs to their policies and programmes, and to the post-2006 overall EU focus on RTDI activities and investments. Back in Stuttgart since 2004, Guenter Clar continues both his regional and international strategic innovation related activities as Director Regional Strategies of Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum (SEZ), a specialised organisation in the 700+ centres network of Baden-Wuerttemberg's Steinbeis Foundation for Economic Development (stw). He also continues as member of high level expert groups established, e.g., by different EU bodies and other international networks. Under his leadership, SEZ' personnel base in these fields has been strengthened to manage projects which focus on developing and applying Strategic Policy Intelligence tools such as Foresight and Technology Assessment to RTD and Innovation Policies, and thus to optimise long-term spatial/regional and sectoral/technological development, especially with view to improve enterprise- and enterprise-policy related investment decisions, specifically those of a strategic character.

Dr. Seidl da Fonseca is Senior Industrial Development Officer at the Investment and Technology Promotion Branch of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). He is Programme Manager for the UNIDO Technology Foresight Initiative. He graduated in industrial engineering in the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and post-graduated (Dr.-Ing.) in industrial economics in the Technology University of Munich, Germany. He is Professor in industrial economics and technology policy at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dr. Seidl da Fonseca is a senior specialist in industrial and technology policy and technology foresight. Before joining UNIDO, he worked at the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the State Secretary of Industrial Technology (STI/MIC) and the Agency for Projects Financing (FINEP).

Dr. Karel Klusacek graduated from the Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague. He received his PhD degree in Physical Chemistry from the Academy of Sciences of the CR and his MBA from the Business School of the Sheffield Hallam University in the UK. Since 1994 he has been working as a Director of Technology Centre AS CR. His main professional interests include studies on research and innovation, foresight, identification of research priorities and formulation of regional innovation strategies. He manages national project "Strategic studies for Research and Development" focused on providing strategic information to the state administration. He coordinated many international and national projects in the area of foresight, technology transfer, business incubation, knowledge-based competitiveness and regional innovation strategy.