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 diplomat, 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


Prior to joining the IEMed, Roger served as Secretary 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 an MA in Economic History from the University of Barcelona, a BA in Economics from Pompeu Fabra University and a BA in Business Administration and Management from the Open University of Catalonia (UOC).


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 fluent 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.


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.


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


Prior to joining the IEMed, she was a Legal Advisor for L’H 2010, Societat Privada Municipal, SA (2008), a lawyer specialising in administrative law at Diagonal Advocats (2007-2008), Director of Human Resources at Argentona City Council (2003-2006), and a lawyer at Barcelona Regional, Urban Development Agency, SA (2001-2005). Anna Roy holds a bachelor´s degree in Law, a master’s degree in Town Planning and Real Estate Law from IDEC, and a postgraduate degree in Data Protection from the ICAB.


He has an extensive experience in developing economic management tasks. Before joining the IEMed, Carles was responsible for accounting and economic management of three companies that were part of the Parc Tecnològic del Vallès: the PTV itself, the Centre for New Technology Companies, and the Institute of Technology and Society Patrimony of the PTV (1989-1991). He also worked as an accounting technician at Suministros ILAGA, SA (1981-1989). Carles holds a diploma in Business Sciences from the Open University of Catalonia (UOC).


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.


Before joining the IEMed, Nazario worked as office support at the art gallery Follow your Art in New York (1998-2003) and the European Parliament in Brussels (1997-1998), as well as being a salesman for Óptica Pasteur in the Principality of Andorra. Nazario speaks fluent Spanish, Catalan, Italian, French and English.


Before joining the IEMed, she did an internship at the law firm “Bufete Lemus” between February 2020 and February 2021. Alba holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from Barcelona University. Currently she is doing a master’s degree in Law.
Euro-Mediterranean Policies


Before joining the IEMed in 2015, Emmanuel worked for eight years for the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS). He was posted in the Western Balkans between 2006 and 2011. Back at the headquarters, he worked in the office of the Deputy Secretary General of the EEAS. Emmanuel holds a master’s degree from the College of Europe in Bruges and graduated from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Paris. He works with English, Spanish and French and has some knowledge of Arabic.


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.


Before coming to the IEMed, she worked as File and Documentation Officer for Tomás Alcoverro, correspondent for La Vanguardia in the Middle East, Spanish Instructor at the German International School Beirut, Events Officer at the Instituto de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores de Granada and the Spanish Embassy in Beirut. She also has experience in translating journalistic and academic documents from Arabic to Spanish.
Ana holds a bachelor´s degree in Arab and Islamic Studies from the Autonomous University of Madrid, with a semester placement at the Saint Joseph University of Beirut (Lebanon), and a postgraduate degree in Arabic Language and Literature from the Institut Français du Proche-Orient, Beirut.


Before joining the IEMed, Pol was an intern at the communications department in the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM); prior he worked at the Catalan Association of Public Universities / Global University Network for Innovation (ACUP/GUNI), at the hacktivist network XNet, and at the Centre Internacional Escarré per a les Minories Ètniques i Nacionals (CIEMEN). He also has some experience in acting and voice acting.
Pol holds a bachelor´s degree in International Relations at the Ramon Llull University, with a semester placement at the Université Catholique de Louvaine (Belgium); a postgraduate degree in Technopolitics and Digital Rights from the Pompeu Fabra University; and a master’s degree in International Security from the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals. He speaks fluent Catalan, Spanish and English; has a decent command over Arabic, French and Italian; and some knowledge of Russian and Icelandic.


Before joining the IEMed, Jorge collaborated with the Institut d’Estudis Europeus of the Universitat Autònoma of Barcelona; he was a research assistant in the area of global geopolitics and security at CIDOB, and did an internship at the Tuning Academy research center.
Jorge is a double graduate in Law and International Relations from the University of Deusto, studied a semester abroad at Masaryk University (Czech Republic) and has a Master’s Degree in European Integration with a focus on Foreign Action from the Universitat Autònoma of Barcelona. He speaks Spanish, English, French and Euskera, and has basic knowledge of Catalan.
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 is currently studying for a postgraduate course in Public Management at the 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).


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


Antoine was previously Junior Research Fellow at the IEMed (2016), as well as Research Assistant at the Istanbul Policy Center (2015) and the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies (FUNDEA, 2010). He holds a master’s degree in Euro-Mediterranean Relations from Saint Joseph University of Beirut (Lebanon) and Rovira i Virgili University of Tarragona (Spain), as well as a master’s degree in History and International Relations from Sciences Po Rennes (France). He speaks French, English, Spanish and Turkish.


Before joining the IEMed, Sarah worked in the humanitarian sector, at Plan International’s EU office in Brussels. She also worked at the European Climate Foundation (ECF), at the Middle East unit of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET), and as a research assistant at the Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND) in Beirut, Lebanon.
She holds a Bachelor of Politics and International Relations with specialisation in the Middle East from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, and a Masters in Transnational Governance with a specialisation in gender, migration and sustainability from the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. She speaks English, French, Arabic, and Spanish, with notions of Italian.


Prior, Cristina has worked during four years at Wallonie-Bruxelles International, the Belgian organism in charge of international relations in French-speaking Belgium, as a project manager of international mobility programmes. She has also worked as coordinator and head of the academic programme at the Casal Català in Brussels (Institut Ramon Llull). Previously, she worked for two years at the Generalitat de Catalunya, as a legal expert for the development of European Social Fund programmes.
Cristina has experience and interest in human and sustainable development policies, and in the protection and respect of Human Rights, and has been a participant and representative of the Council of Europe in numerous youth, development and justice projects.
She has a background in law from the URV with a focus on the EU institutional system, policies and programmes from the University of Groningen and the CEI International Affairs.
She is fluent in Catalan, Spanish, English, French and Italian.


She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economic Development, International Socio-sanitary Cooperation, and Conflict Management and a master’s degree in Development Economics from the University of Florence.
She is interested in data analysis, international trade, and the history of the Middle East. During her studies, she specialized in the Lebanese socioeconomic context and history, the dynamics of the economic relations between China and the US, and the subsequent impact on European trade.
She is fluent in Italian, Spanish, English, and French.


She oversees the organisation of the different events aimed at boosting job creation and exchange of ideas in the sector and is also part of the Technical Assistance Team that supports the civil society organisations, start-ups and artists participating in the project’s sub-grant scheme.
Prior to joining IEMed, she worked as a project management assistant for the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC) in New York. Previously, she also collaborated and worked with various organisations and entities dedicated to international cooperation and development, both in Spain as well as in Italy and Bosnia & Herzegovina, mainly in the educational and cultural fields.
She holds a degree in Humanities with a specialisation in International Cooperation and Development from the University of Salamanca (USAL), and a Master’s degree in Democracy and Human Rights in Southeast Europe (ERMA) from the University of Sarajevo (BiH), where she researched upon the role of art in post-conflict societies and reconciliation processes.
She has experience and great interest in the intersection of socio-political development and international cooperation and the role of art and culture within it, as a means of articulating dissent and dialogue between different realities and subjectivities.
She is fluent in English and Spanish, and has an intermediate level of Portuguese, French and Italian.