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Europe is in the midst of transformational change in the way its economies and societies operate. The digitization of sectors from manufacturing to automotive, through to agriculture, banking, the public sector, and, perhaps crucially in today's context, health - is well underway. The EU has taken several regulatory actions in recent months to drive this digitalization agenda forward, underpinned by a political narrative that places European values at its heart.
In support of these policy initiatives, Microsoft is proud to present a week-long series of deep-dive sessions focusing on data, technology, and infrastructure in Europe. The series will analyse in policy and practical terms how the digital transformation within several vertical sectors is progressing, bringing together policymakers with industry representatives, and crucially, European startups and scaleups, for a conversation around what's next for Europe's digital transformation journey.
That is why we are pledging to make ‘Tech Fit 4 Europe’. This is our direct response to the EU’s vision for a ‘Europe Fit for the Digital Age’, and an acknowledgement of the particular role the tech sector needs to play in helping Europe realize its digital ambitions. Making ‘Tech Fit 4 Europe’ means recognizing Europe’s role in leading the way to solving global challenges and a need to take our relations with Europe to the next level.
10:45 - 10:50 | Introductory Remarks |
10:50 - 12:00 | Digital Transformation in the Public sector |
Watch Day 1 on Vimeo |
10:00 - 11:15 | Digital Transformation in Automotive |
11:15 - 11:30 | Break |
11:30 - 12:45 | Digital Transformation in Cloud-powered Retail |
Watch Day 2 on Vimeo |
10:00 - 11:15 | Digital Transformation in Manufacturing |
11:15 - 11:30 | Break |
11:30 - 12:45 | Digital Transformation in Health: Covid-19 lessons |
Watch Day 3 on Vimeo |
10:00 - 11:15 | Digital Transformation in Banking |
11:15 - 11:30 | Break |
11:30 - 12:45 | Digital Transformation in Farming |
Watch Day 4 on Vimeo |
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Meet some of the speakers who'll be joining this years event and sharing insights.
In his current position Fernando de Pablo Martín is responsible for the digital transformation initiatives of the General State Administration.
Since 1993 he has been a member of the Public Administration, where he worked in the Department of Tax Computing (1993-2005), in the Central Delegation of Large Taxpayers (2006-2009) and in the Department of Planning and Institutional Relations, in the State Agency of Tax Administration. General Director on Impulse of the Electronic Administration (2009-2011), responsible for the implementation of Law 11/2007 on electronic access of citizens to public services and he has been part of the Office for the Implementation of the Reform of the Public Administration (CORA), created to fight against the economic crisis, as responsible for promoting technological measures (2013-2016).
He is a Telecommunications Engineer, member of the Senior Corps of Systems and Information Technologies of the State Administration, Master in Systems Management and Information and Communications Technologies, Executive Master of Business Management by the School of Industrial Organization and Leadership Program for Public Management. Diploma of Advanced Studies in PhD in Applied Economics.
Global Consulting lead for the Revenue Industry, and Consulting Lead for Europe, Health and Public Service, Accenture
BiographyGabriel Bellenger is the global consulting lead for the Revenue Industry and the management consulting lead for Europe. In his role, he supports government agencies’ transformation and provides sustainable change to government clients globally. Gabriel is responsible for helping business leaders to exploit the latest technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, robotics process automation, machine learning, micro-segmentation and big data, and manage their impact on service design, the liquid workforce, agile delivery and digital operating models.
Gabriel brings more than 20 years of industry experience in advising senior political stakeholders around the world, such as the UK Cabinet Office and other equivalent member states, the EU commission, the World Bank, OECD and the Asian Development Bank. Undertaking more than 400 consulting assignments, Gabriel has significant experience in delivering large-scale programs in public sector organizations. In particular, Gabriel has helped revenue collection agencies to save billions of dollars and more efficiently collect additional revenues.
Gabriel acted as the Accenture program director in the design and delivery of the European Centre for Government Transformation in 2009/2010. He has also developed numerous innovations, including patents for process automation, and is a regular conference speaker. As the president of the International Committee at the London Mayfair Rotary club, Gabriel is working with fellow Rotarians to eradicate Polio through education and international programs.
Gabriel holds an Executive Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Business Administration from Paris Dauphine University in Paris and Shanghai, a Master of Business Administration from Bristol Business School in the United Kingdom and a master’s degree in Mathematical Decision Modelling from Grande Ecole d’ingénieur EISTI, France. He is currently based in the United Kingdom.
Director for Smart Mobility, European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA)
BiographyJoost Vantomme is the Smart Mobility Director of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), which represents the 15 major Europe-based car, van, truck and bus manufacturers. Joost is (co) Chair of the Strategy Committee of ERTICO-ITS Europe as well as member of its Supervisory Board. He serves also as member of the Board of the European Mobility as a Service Alliance (MaaS). Furthermore, Joost was selected as member of various Commission Expert Groups, among which the Expert Group on B2G data sharing.
Joost has 30 years’ experience in legal, regulatory, public and strategy affairs. He served as legal and regulatory affairs director in the telecommunications, postal, logistics and automotive sector. He had leading policy making roles in European associations such as PostEurop and FEDMA, as well as at the UN level (UPU). Joost has also been a member of the Cabinet of the Belgian Minister of Economy and director at Hill+Knowlton Strategies, an EU consultancy firm.
As a frequent speaker at conferences and author of papers, he engages with stakeholders on European and international policy issues in a mobility and digital agenda context. Joost holds a Master Degree in Economic Business Law, a Master’s Degree in law and a Diploma in Teaching Law (Universities of Leuven, Poitiers and Louvain). He is fluent in Dutch, French, English and German.
Nadina Iacob is a Research Fellow in the Global Governance, Regulation, Innovation, and Digital Economy (GRID) unit at CEPS.
Her research interests lie in the potential of the digital transformation and its implications across a variety of policy areas. Her recent work is focused in particular on the emerging governance architecture for digitalisation and data sharing in areas including healthcare and the public sector.
Prior to joining CEPS, Nadina explored the theory behind entrepreneurial ecosystems and contributed to a comprehensive analysis of urban startup ecosystems in emerging cities at the Berlin-based NGO enpact. She gained experience with working in national and European institutions as well, tracking budgetary and financial legislative developments in the Parliament of Romania and gaining insights into EU legislative procedures at the European Parliament Information Office, Bucharest.
Nadina holds a Master of Public Policy from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, where she specialised in quantitative methods for policy analysis, EU governance and economic policies. She holds a BSc in Economics from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, as well as a B.A. in International Relations and European Studies from the University of Bucharest.
Head of Unit “Digital Transformation of Industry”, DG GROW, European Commission
BiographyRoland Grassberger is CEO and head of strategy, innovation and product management at Grassfish Marketing Technologies, a leading European developer of smart store and digital signage solutions for the physical retail space.
Roland has a track record as a successful entrepreneur; in 1998, he sold his company SoftWork, a provider of software for dentists and for patient medical records, to GWI AG (now Agfa Healthcare), the German market leader for hospital software. He took the role of head of development and product management at GWI for several years and subsequently became CEO of medical net AG, a medical data transmission provider and subsidiary of Agfa Healthcare.
In 2001, Roland founded Telion, a provider of voice-based news and notification systems, before establishing Grassfish Marketing Technologies in 2005.
Roland, who is married with 5 children, studied Computer Sciences at the Technical University Vienna and enjoys active leisure pursuits including skiing, cycling and tennis.
Ms. Felicia Stoica is Deputy Head of Unit in the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SME of the European Commission, in the Unit responsible, among others, with the competitiveness and legal safety framework for engineering industries. Some of her tasks combine leading regulatory dialogues with like-minded international partners to support flagships such as robotics or additive manufacturing with managing a broad portfolio of Single Market safety legislation for engineering industries.
Previously to joining the Commission, Ms. Stoica worked in the private sector as a global market analyst in a multinational enterprise. Ms. Stoica is a diplomat engineer from the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, holding a master's degree in European studies from Universite Pierre Mendes France, Grenoble.
Director “Health Systems, Medical Products and Innovation”, DG SANTE, European Commission
BiographyGroup Vice President, Group Head of Legal for Technology and Transformation, Banco Santander
BiographyGloria Sánchez (Group VP) is the Group Head of Legal for Technology and Transformation of Banco Santander. Her team is in charge of the legal advice to technology areas, with a focus technology contracts and projects, digital banking and digital and financial regulation, data and privacy and IP. She is also in charge of the legal advice to the costs, procurement, TPRM and organization areas of the Group. Likewise, she leads the innovation strategy and legal tech of the legal area.
She commenced her legal career at Clifford Chance Madrid, and after some years advising clients in different transactions, she joined Banco Santander legal department. Before her current post, she has been head of legal for real estate, equity participations and portfolio sales at Banco Santander.
At present, she is adjunct professor at IE Law School, as well as visiting lecturer at different universities: Bucerius Law School (Hamburg), MIT Professional Education, ESADE (Barcelona), Universidad Complutense and Universidad Francisco de Vitoria.
Brit Hecht is Head of EU Digital Public Affairs at BBVA, which he joined in 2000. Since he joined BBVA’s European Affairs Office in 2014, Brit is responsible for promoting BBVA’s EU advocacy for digital financial services, covering EU regulation for online platforms, data & AI, digital identities, European payments, CBDCs & crypto-assets, cloud & cybersecurity, etc.
Before joining public & government affairs, he was responsible for transformation and corporate development projects at BBVA’s South America and Retail divisions, and before for strategic planning, commercial development, innovation and e-business at BBVA subsidiaries in Venezuela, Mexico and Peru.
Prior to his career at BBVA, Brit gained consulting experience in a variety of industries (financial services, telecom, FMCG, energy,…) at the strategy consulting firms Roland Berger (Madrid) and Mars & Co (Paris).
Marie-Cécile Damave is an agronomist and Head of Innovation and International Affairs in the think tank agridées, based in Paris. She monitors technological and economic developments in AgTech and FoodTech, the digital transformation of agriculture, biotechnology and the bioeconomy with an international perspective. She leads working groups, organises and moderates events, makes presentations at conferences as an expert and is the author of a number of publications in French and English, including position papers, analyses and articles. She also teaches in Higher Education institutions.
Prior to joining Agridées in 2013, Marie-Cécile Damave worked for 20 years as an agricultural economist in the Office of Agricultural Affairs in the American Embassy in Paris for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). She was a market analyst in oilseeds, biofuels, biotechnology and dairy for France and the European Union.
We are exploring Digital Transformation across these industries and sectors
Public Sector
Manufacturing
Automotive
Banking
Retail
Health / Covid-19
Agriculture
All sessions are now available for on-demand viewing.
Tech Fit 4 Europe is Microsoft’s response to the EU’s vision for a ‘Europe Fit for the Digital Age’ – an acknowledgement of our commitment to help Europe realize its digital ambition.
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