Our team is composed of talented and experienced professionals with a shared vision of promoting understanding, dialogue and cooperation between cultures and civilizations in the Mediterranean.
Executive Presidency and General Direction
A career diplomat with the personal rank of ambassador, he holds a degree in Economic Science (1971) and in Law (1972) from the Universitat de Barcelona. He studied for his doctorate in Economics at the Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne (1973-1974); as a Fullbright scholarship holder at New York University , Ph. D. Program (1974-1976), and at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, where he presented his doctoral thesis in 1979. Diploma in International Studies from the Diplomatic School of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
Professional experience
– Ambassador Permanent Representative of Spain to United Nations and other International Organizations in Vienna (2018-2020)
– Consul General of Spain in Rome (2017-2018)
– President of the General Assembly of the EuroMeSCo, a network of think tanks on Euro-Mediterranean policy and security
– Executive President of the IEMed (2013 – 2017)
– President of the Mediterranean Commission of the European League for Economic Cooperation (ELEC)
– Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs of the Government of Catalonia (2011-2012)
– Director general of the IEMed (2006-2011)
Spanish Ambassador to Tunisia (2000-2004)
General Director of the Instituto de Cooperación con el Mundo Árabe, Mediterráneo y Países en Desarrollo (ICMAMPD) of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (1996-2000)
– Spanish Secretary of the Spanish-Moroccan Averroes Committee (1996-2000)
– Spanish Consul General in Berlin (1992-1996)
– Member of the Organizing Committee of the Barcelona Olympic Games COOB’92 (1986-1992)
– Secretary-General of the departments of Trade, Consumption and Tourism (1986-1989) and of Territorial Policy and Public Works (1989-1992) of the Government of Catalonia
– First Secretary of the Spanish Embassy at UNESCO (1986)
– Director of the Technical Office of the Instituto de Cooperación Iberoamericana (1982-1984)
– Advisory member of the Office of the President of the Spanish Government (1979-1982)
He has also been Director of Studies at the Diplomatic School of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and Professor of International Economics and Development at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. He is a member of the Board of Trustees and of the Governing Board of the Universidad Antonio de Nebrija in Madrid.
Managing Direction
He’s also an associate professor at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Barcelona, where he teaches international economic policy. Roger is also a member of the Advisory Council of the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association (EMEA) and he was a board member at CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs) from 2017 to 2025. Since 2025 he is the co-chair of the Enabling Innovation Ecosystem Stakeholder Board of the future for PRIMA (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area).
Prior to joining the IEMed, Roger served as Secretary General for Foreign and EU Affairs of the Government of Catalonia (2013-2016) and was a member of the EU Committee of the Regions. From 2010 to 2013 he served as advisor on private sector development at the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean.
He holds a PhD in Economic History from the University of Barcelona and a MA in Economic History from the same university, a BA in Economics from Pompeu Fabra University and a BA in Business Administration and Management from the Open University of Catalonia.
Selection of articles and publications:
Albinyana, Roger (2025): The Impact of Algeria’s Limited Natural Gas Integration in the Western Mediterranean Value Chain: Implications for Its Rentier Economy (1971-2015), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona;
Albinyana, Roger, et al. (2025): Science as a Bridge: The Evolving Role of Research and Innovation in Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation (coord. and foreword), IEMed policy study, Barcelona;
Albinyana, Roger & Mañé-Estrada, Aurèlia (2023): Revisiting Rentierism through the Lens of Algerian Gas, Revue internationale des études du développement, num. 251, Editions de la Sorbonne, Paris;
Albinyana, Roger (2023): The Union for the Mediterranean in 2023: Stocktaking and Food for Impact, IEMed Mediterranean Yearbook, 2023, Barcelona;
Albinyana, Roger & Martinez, Edward Rodger (2022): Youth, Women and Employment in the Mediterranean region: continuity and change, IEMed Mediterranean Yearbook, 2022, Barcelona
Albinyana, Roger & Ibáñez, Matías (2021): The 5+5 Dialogue after 30 years: Prospects and Challenges for Western Mediterranean Cooperation, IEMed Mediterranean Yearbook, 2021, Barcelona;
Albinyana, Roger (2021): Tirer les leçons de la Covid-19 : repenser la viabilité des finances publiques, Afkar / idées, no. 62, printemps 2021, Madrid;
Albinyana, Roger (2020): Chinese investments as a possible driver for green energy transition in the Mediterranean region, C.E.S.I papers, Rome;
Albinyana, Roger (2020): The Mediterranean Region as a Bridge in the Africa-Europe Partnership, IDEES Magazine, number 51, Barcelona;
Albinyana, Roger (2020): “Una oportunitat perduda per articular una nova agenda econòmica i social per al Mediterrani?”, in Euromed 2020, Fundació Rafael Campalans, Barcelona;
Albinyana, Roger (2020): Covid-19 in the Mediterranean and Africa Diagnosis, Policy Responses, Preliminary Assessment and Way Forward (coord. and foreword), EMEA-EMNES studies, Barcelona;
Albinyana, Roger et al. (2020): Digitalisation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Mediterranean, studies of the European Committee of the Regions, Brussels;
Albinyana, Roger (2019): Promoting regional cooperation to foster green growth in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean, IEPN papers, Tel Aviv;
Albinyana, Roger et al. (2019): Repatriation of refugees from Arab conflicts: Conditions, Costs and Scenarios for Reconstruction, FEMISE Euromed Report 2019;
Albinyana, Roger (2019): “Youth unemployment and labour market policies in the Southern Mediterranean”, in Mediterranean Migration and the Labour Market: Policies for Growth and Social Development in the Mediterranean Area, Routledge, London;
Albinyana, Roger & Mañé-Estrada, Aurèlia (2018): Energy interdependence: the linkage of the political economy of Algeria’s natural gas with that of the Western Mediterranean region. A methodological approach, UNISCI, Madrid;
Albinyana, Roger (2018): From the Euro-Arab Dialogue to a Euro-Arab Summit: Revamping the EU-Arab Partnership, IEMed Mediterranean Yearbook, 2018, Barcelona;
Albinyana, Roger (2018): The Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, between regional disarray and the search of common interests, Quaderns de la Mediterrània, Barcelona;
Albinyana, Roger (2018): “Egypt, poised for a comeback to the Mediterranean”, EuroMeSCo spot-on in www.euromesco.net;
Albinyana, Roger (2017): « L’Union pour la Méditerranée en 2017: bilan et consolidation », published in HuffPost Maghreb (in December 2017);
Albinyana, Roger (2017): The Union for the Mediterranean in 2017: Stocktaking and consolidation, IEMed Mediterranean Yearbook, 2017, Barcelona;
Albinyana, Roger et al. (Eds.) (2017): Youth Employment and Regional Integration, IEMed;
Albinyana, Roger et al. (Ed.) (2017): Conflict in Libya: a multidimensional crisis. State of play and paths towards a sustainable peace, IEMed;
Albinyana, Roger et al. (Ed) (2016): The 5+5 Dialogue as a mechanism of integration and regional cooperation, IEMed;
Albinyana, Roger (2016): A review of EU policies towards the Mediterranean (1957-2016), IEMed Focus 2016.
Before joining the IEMed, from 2000 to 2008, Carmen worked in the Cultural Section and in the Department of Technical Cooperation for Development at the Spanish Embassy in Cairo.
She holds a bachelor´s degree in Arabic Philology from the University of Barcelona (1998) and a postgraduate degree in Cultural Production and Communication from Blanquerna- Ramon Llull University (2009). She speaks Spanish, Catalan, English, French and Arabic.
Prior to joining the IEMed, he worked as project technician at the National Institute of Statistics, the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP), the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the International Catalan Institute for Peace (ICIP).
Hugo holds a bachelor´s degree in Political Science and Administration from Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona) and in Advertising and Public Relations from the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), as well as a postgraduate degree in International Cooperation from the UPF Institute of Continuous Education and a degree in Copywriting (Zink, Madrid). He speaks Spanish, English and French.
Prior to her work at the IEMed, she was responsible for human resource management in the events context, working in the coordination and execution of fairs and conferences held at the Fira de Barcelona and the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya. She also worked in the convention department of one of the hotels in the Hesperia hotel group.
He has an extensive experience ranging from 1998 in the field of journalism and communications. Graduate in Communications Science (Journalism) from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), he holds a master’s degree in Communications Management and Marketing from the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) and a post-graduate degree in Design and Multimedia Communication (UOC). He is fluent in Catalan, Spanish, English and French.
She is in charge of conceptualisation of design and visual aspects of the IEMed´s programmes, publications and events and their adaptation to the different applications. She is also responsible for contracting and supervision of external designers, coordination of translation services, as well as managing the related administrative documentation.
Before joining the IEMed, she worked in the publishing industry (Edicions Just) (1999-2002), carrying out design and layout tasks for different magazines and coordinating the printing process, and later become the Coordinator of Advertising Services. Núria Esparza has a diploma in Graphic Design from the Llotja School of Art and Design.
He has been part of the editorial team of the IEMed Mediterranean Yearbook the since its first edition (2003). In addition to his dedication to the Yearbook, he has participated in other IEMed projects such as the IEMedObs, the Euromed Survey and the Observatory against Islamophobia in the Media.
Prior to joining the IEMed, he worked for “la Caixa” Foundation and in the field of opinion studies. He holds a degree in Contemporary History from the University of Barcelona and a postgraduate degree in Demography from the CED of the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
Human Resources and Services
He has been working at the IEMed since 2008 where he initially held the position of Head of Human Resources and Organization and Head of Legal Advice. Before joining the IEMed, she was legal advisor for H2010, Sociedad Privada municipal, SA (2008), lawyer specialized in administrative law at Diagonal Advocats (2007-2008), director of human resources at the Argentona City Council (2003-2006) and lawyer in Barcelona Regional, Urban Development Agency, SA (2001-2005). Anna Roy holds a degree in law from UPF, a master’s degree in urban planning and real estate law from IDEC, and a postgraduate degree in data protection from ICAB.
Before joining IEMed, she built her professional career as Head of Administration and Finance at Omega Peripherals, SL (2020–2025), as a Financial Controller at Dara Pharmaceutical Equipment (2020), and as an Audit Manager at Pleta Auditores, SLP (2007–2020).
She holds a degree in Economics from the University of Barcelona and a Postgraduate Diploma in Auditing from the Association of Chartered Accountants of Catalonia.
Prior to joining the IEMed, she worked as an accountant for T-SHIRT (2002) and as an accounting clerk for P.P. SERVICE POINT (1997-2002) and ESCODA (1992-1997).
Raquel is currently finishing her degree in Business Administration and Management at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC). She speaks Catalan, Spanish and English.
Alba has worked at the IEMed since 2021, where she initially started as a management officer in the Services and Human Resources area. Before joining the IEMed, she worked for a year in a litigation office. Alba is a professional lawyer specialized in Administrative Law and holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Barcelona as well as two Master’s degrees, one in Advocacy from the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) and another in Administrative Law and Public Function from the School of Legal Sciences.
Sabina holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Barcelona. Prior to joining the IEMed in 2023, she collaborated for two years with an international music industry organization on the implementation of a capacity-building project co-funded by the European Union, assisting in the drafting of the funding proposal and project monitoring reports, and providing support in the production of the organization’s international events. She speaks Catalan, Spanish and English and has basic knowledge of French.
Prior to joining IEMed, Judith worked as a lawyer in a Law Firm and has also taught Communication Skills at the University of Barcelona and the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
She graduated in Law from Autonomous University of Barcelona and holds a Master in Laws. She speaks Catalan, Spanish, English and French.
She holds a degree in International Relations from Blanquerna – Ramon Llull University, with a specialization in International Corporate Communication. Prior to joining IEMed, she worked in institutional and international environments (European Parliament), as well as in event production (Kosmos) and consulting (Setmars and INTK). She speaks Catalan, Spanish, English, French and Italian, and has basic knowledge of Arabic and German.
Euro-Mediterranean Policies
Since 2017, she has served as member in the Cabinet of the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, first as a speechwriter and policy analyst, and then as an advisor on strategy, programming, and engagement.
Prior to that, Ms. Filali Meknassi worked as junior economist at the Mediterranean department of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), programme officer at the Syria desk of EuroMed Rights, and project assistant both at the North-South Center of the Council of Europe and the Mediterranean Office for Youth.
She has been accompanying several organisations and NGOs across the region in project design and fundraising, specifically for EU funding opportunities.
Born in Tangier, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Euro-Mediterranean studies and a dual master’s degree in International Development and Public Policy from Sciences Po Paris and Bocconi University. Since 2022, Ms. Filali Meknassi is also an associate professor and academic advisor at Sciences Po’s Mediterranean and Middle Eastern programme.
From 2018 to 2021 she worked as a Project Analyst in the Social and Civil Affairs Division of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), supporting the Euro-Mediterranean policy dialogue processes on Women Empowerment, Youth and Civil Protection. From 2015 to 2017 she worked as a Grant Administrator for EU projects at the European University Continuing Education Network (eucen), and between 2012 and 2015 she was the Project Manager of the SGroup – Universities in Europe network, based in Brussels.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the Rovira i Virgili University (URV), a master’s degree in International Relations, Development and Security from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and an international diploma in Euro-Mediterranean Policies, specialising in diaspora movements and gender.
Ana joined the IEMed as Programme Officer in the Euro-Mediterranean Policies Department, where she was responsible for organising research and dialogue activities and managing stakeholders databases. Prior to that, she worked as a Programme Officer at the Instituto de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores de Granada, at the Spanish Embassy in Beirut, and as Assistant to the Middle East Correspondent at La Vanguardia. She also worked as a Spanish teacher and translator in Lebanon.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Arab and Islamic Studies from the Autonomous University of Madrid, with a semester abroad at Saint Joseph University of Beirut, and a postgraduate diploma in Arabic Language and Literature from the Institut Français du Proche-Orient, Beirut.
In the area of migration programmes, Xavier has coordinated the organisation of seminars on comparative migration policies and migrations in the Mediterranean, and the research projects “Immigration and the Euro-Mediterranean Area: Keys to Policy and Trends” and “Role of Immigrant Communities in the Euromed Relations” and books on migration management. He was coordinator of contents in the Technical Secretariat of the 2004 World Congress Human Movements and Immigration.
Xavier has written extensively on the external dimension of migration policies and the migration-development link and is a frequent contributor to various media outlets, providing analysis on migration dynamics in the region. He graduated in Political Science at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
Before joining the IEMed, Ms. Choveau worked as Multimedia and Communication Specialist at the United Nations Office at Geneva (2024). Prior to transitioning to public institutions, she developed her career in digital marketing for international companies in the private sector, working across sectors such as fashion, education, and finance (2011-2023).
She is currently completing a Master’s degree in International Cooperation and holds a Master’s degree in Digital Marketing, as well as a dual Bachelor’s degree in International Marketing from Excelia Business School La Rochelle and Shippensburg University.
Before rejoining the IEMed, Marco worked as the Research Officer on the project “EuroMeSCo: Connecting the Dots,” where he managed the entire publication process and contributed to the dissemination of the project’s research findings.
He previously completed internships at Marco Agency, one of Spain’s leading communication and public relations firms, and at the Catalan Department of the Interior, where he analysed strategies to enhance urban safety through smart urban planning and design.
Marco holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Blanquerna – Ramon Llull University, with a specialisation in EU Foreign Policy and Geopolitics of the Middle East and North Africa.
Culture, Gender and Civil Society
Linked to the Catalan Institute of the Mediterranean since 1989, she was Director of Programs (2000-2008) when the Institute had already become the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed).
She has been Head of Programme and Networks Unit of the Anna Lindh Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures (Alexandria, Egypt) 2009-2016. As Head of the Mediterranean Relations and European Networks Service at the Government of Catalonia, she has coordinated the Government’s Mediterranean Strategy MedCat 2030 (2018-2023).
With extensive experience in the fields of Euro-Mediterranean relations, migration policies, civil society and intercultural dialogue, she has been involved in the organization of international events such as the first Euromed Civil Forum in 1995 or the World Migration Congress in year 2004 in Barcelona. She has coordinated research teams and directed European projects in the Arab world with a special focus on the issues of education and youth. She has published articles and edited books on these subjects and has directed periodical publications in the Mediterranean area.
She is an associate professor of International Relations at the Blanquerna-Ramon Llull University in Barcelona and an associate researcher at the UPF GRITIM group. She holds a degree in Political Sciences and Sociology from the Universidad Complutense of Madrid, a postgraduate degree in European Studies from the Free University of Brussels and a postgraduate degree in General Management from the UOC (Barcelona). She has a postgraduate degree in Public Management (School of Public Administration of Catalonia).
Since 2012, she has been responsible for managing the Secretariat of the Spanish Network of Anna Lindh Foundation. She has over 20 years of experience in organising exhibitions and coordinating initiatives for Euro-Mediterranean cultural cooperation and exchanges.
Prior to that, she participated in the organisation of various cultural events in the city of Barcelona, in particular the 1992 Paralympic Games and the reopening of the Victoria Theatre in 1993. Carina holds a degree in PR and Protocol from the University of Barcelona and a master´s degree in Management of Cultural Companies from Pompeu Fabra University. She is a native Spanish and Catalan speaker and is fluent in English and French.
Previously, she directed the Docudebats program of Arab fiction and documentary films and was part of the team that coordinated the publication of the reading guide La mar de libros para adentrarse en el mundo árabe [countless books to enter in the Arab world].
Before joining the IEMed, Elisabetta worked at the Italian Institute of Culture in Cairo (2002-2004) as an Italian teacher. She holds a BA in Oriental Languages and Literatures (Arabic) from Ca’ Foscari University in Venice and an Erasmus Mundus (MIM) Master’s degree on Crossing the Mediterranean: Towards Investment and Integration . Elisabetta speaks Italian (mother tongue), Spanish, Arabic, French and English. She studied Arabic in Damascus (1997-1998) and in Cairo (February-June 2002).
She’s been project officer of the H2020 project CONNEKT, which maps the drivers of violent extremism among youth in the MENA and Balkans region. She is also member of the Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) Young Platform.
Prior to joining IEMed, she completed an internship at the International Institute for Nonviolent Action (NOVACT), providing support to the “Salam” project for the prevention of violent extremisms in Tunisia, and to the presentation of project proposals. Aida has also acquired experience in research and edition of texts by working at the Muslim Human Rights Association as part of the “La Red de la Islamofobia” (The Islamophobia network) project, at the newspaper L’Independent de Gràcia and at the digital marketing agency Marhaba.
She graduated in Sociology from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (2020), with academic stays at Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth (USJ) and The American University in Cairo (AUC). Aida also holds a master’s degree in Human Rights and Democracy in the MENA region (USJ) (2021) and a master’s degree in Project Management for International Development Cooperation (UNIR) (2022). She is fluent in Spanish, Catalan, English and French, and has an intermediate level of Arabic.
Sustainable Development and Regional Integration
Previously, Arnau was an economist at the World Bank Group, where he worked from 2012 to 2025 on private sector development, agriculture and food, and climate change. He has also worked with and consulted for several international organizations, government agencies, and international NGOs.
He holds a BA in Politics from the University of York (UK), an MSc in Foreign Service from Georgetown University (USA), and an MBA from INSEAD (Singapore/France). He has lived in Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Eswatini, Singapore, Chile, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and has carried out project work in over 100 countries.
Previously, she was a Policy Researcher at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) in Bonn. Her research and policy advisory work focused on Just Transitions and policy coherence for sustainable development, with publications in journals including Climate Policy, Applied Energy, and Sustainable Development. She also co-organised IDOS’ official side events at the UNFCCC climate negotiations twice, participated in the 9th Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel meeting of the Global Environment Facility, and consulted for the International Labor Organization.
Prior to her time at IDOS, she worked for the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), interned at UN-ESCWA and volunteered at Amel Association, a Lebanese NGO.
She is due to defend her PhD at Utrecht University in autumn 2026. She holds an MPhil from the University of Oxford with a full scholarship from ‘la Caixa’, and a First Class Honours BA from Durham University. She speaks native English, Spanish, and Catalan, is fluent in French, and has intermediate proficiency in Italian and Lebanese Arabic.
Before joining IEMed, he worked at the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in the Higher Education and Research Division. He holds a degree in Political Science and Administration from the Complutense University of Madrid and a Master’s degree in Diplomacy and International Organisations, completed at the Diplomatic School of Barcelona (CEI International Affairs, an institution affiliated with the University of Barcelona). Besides his native language, Spanish, he is fluent in English and Italian and has knowledge of French and German.