Announcing the New FEDARENE Board of Directors

Brussels, Tuesday 20th May – FEDARENE, the European Network of Energy Agencies and Regions, is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Board of Directors, unveiled during its annual General Assembly.

Composed of high-level representatives from regional and local energy agencies across Europe, the Board will guide FEDARENE in fulfilling its mission to advance the clean energy transition and climate action across all levels of governance. Each Vice-President will oversee a thematic area – from climate neutrality and energy sufficiency to financing, circular economy, digitalisation, industrial decarbonisation, and beyond. This new leadership structure reflects a strengthened commitment to action and reinforces FEDARENE’s position as a frontrunner in energy policy, strategically aligned with European priorities.

The new Board of Directors is as follows:

• Julije Domac – President, CEO of North-West Croatia Energy Agency (REGEA);
• Jean Van Pamel – Treasurer, Inspector General at Wallonia Region (SPW Energie);
• Mikel Amundarain Leibar – Vice-President for Industrial Competitiveness in the Energy Transition, General Manager of the Basque Energy Agency (EVE).
• Alfonso Arroyo González – Vice-President for Renewable Heating and Cooling, General Director for Energy and Mining of the Regional Government of Castilla y León (EREN);
• Benedetta Brighenti – Vice-President for Climate Neutral Cities and Regions, President of Modena Energy and Sustainable Development Agency (AESS);
• John Carley – Vice-President for Circular Economy, Chair of the South East Energy Agency (SEEA);
• Gerhard Dell & Christiane Egger – Vice-Presidents for Climate Neutrality, Managers of OÖ Energiesparverband (ESV);
• Marie-Laure Falque Masset – Vice-President for Energy Sufficiency, Senior Expert of Climate-Energy Department of the Paris Region Institute (AREC IDF);
• Raúl García Brink – Vice-President for Grid Capacity and Flexibility, Environment, Climate, Energy & Knowledge Counselor of Cabildo de Gran Canaria (CIEGC);
• Thekla Heinel – Vice-President for Climate Protection in Municipalities and Regions, Head of Department at Beratungs- und Service Gesellschaft Umwelt (B.&S.U.);
• Vlasta Krmelj – Vice-President for Financing and Investments, CEO of Energy and Climate Agency of Podravje (ENERGAP), Mayor of Selnica ob Dravi, Member of the European Committee of the Regions;
• Christel Liljegren – Vice-President for Sustainable Mobility for Climate Neutral Regions, CEO of the Energy Agency Southern Sweden (Energikontor Syd);
• Matteo Mazzolini – Vice-President for Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Director of Energy Management Agency of Friuli Venezia Giulia (APE FVG);
• Serge Nocodie & Etienne Vienot – Vice-Presidents for Digitalisation and AI for Energy and Climate; the first is First Vice-President and the second is Head of EU and International Affairs of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Energy Environment (AURA-EE);
• Stéphane Péré – Vice-President for Industrial Decarbonisation, Director General of Occitanie Regional Energy and Climate Agency (AREC Occitanie);
• Rui Pimenta – Vice-President for Renewable Energy Communities, CEO of Porto Energy Agency (AdEPorto);
• Savvas Vlachos – Vice-President for Smart and Sustainable Islands, Director of the Cyprus Energy Agency (CEA).

Seamus Hoyne and Patrick Biard continue their mandate as FEDARENE Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General, providing dedicated leadership to our network.

“We have a strong Board to face the new challenges ahead. One of our key priorities will be to ensure that the clean industrial deal and affordable energy action plan work for regions and cities — the real drivers of the Green Deal. Local and regional actors are responsible for over 70% of its implementation, yet their role is often overlooked. We must bridge the gap between regions and industry and strengthen our voice towards EU institutions. Energy agencies are fast, innovative, and investment enablers — as our new Vice-President for Industrial Decarbonisation aptly said, we are solution factories,” said Julije Domac, President of FEDARENE.