Jury

Julije Domac is the Special Advisor on Energy and Climate of the Croatian President of Republic and member of the Covenant of Mayors – Europe Board since 2016. He is also managing director of the North West Regional Agency since its creation in 2008 and President of FEDARENE since 2013. Julije is a recognised international expert in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. He worked as national biomass programme coordinator in Croatia, project director and technical editor for FAO, Task Manager for the International Energy Agency (IEA), national project leader for UNIDO, lead expert for the World Bank, expert evaluator for the European Commission. He has published over 60 scientific and professional papers in leading international publications and magazines. He has won several awards for his work and his involvement in the sustainable energy transition.

Christiane Egger is Deputy Manager of the OÖ Energiesparverband and Manager of the Cleantech-Cluster Energy, a network of 250 companies active in sustainable energy and the environment. She is Conference Director of the World Sustainable Energy Days, one of Europe’s largest annual conferences on the energy transition and climate neutrality. She has developed and led over 40 EU funded projects. She is a Member of the management board of the Austrian R&D platform for the decarbonisation of industry (NEFI). As an expert in market development, she has developed and implemented numerous promotional activities for energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. She holds a law degree and a post-graduate degree in environmental engineering.

The European Youth Energy Network (EYEN) is a youth-led organization representing over 20 youth-driven member associations across Europe. EYEN is dedicated to empowering young people to play a pivotal role in the European energy transition. It achieves this by fostering intergenerational trust, equipping youth with the necessary skills and knowledge, providing platforms for meaningful action and supporting young professionals in their green career journeys through initiatives like the Energy Transition Career Compass (ETCC) tool. As Vice-President, Carlotta Ferri is responsible for the organization’s strategic vision, ensuring alignment between its mission and operations. Her responsibilities include overseeing the annual European Youth Energy Forum (EYEF), a platform amplifying the voices of younger generations. EYEF addresses key topics such as research on young energy consumers, challenges related to energy poverty, and fostering conscious energy consumption.

Lina Gellermark has been leading the Mälardalen Energy Agency since 2011, overseeing its transformation into a key player in Sweden’s energy transition. She has played a pivotal role in expanding Sweden’s regional energy agencies and establishing national energy and climate guidance services. Lina is a passionate advocate for sustainability and gender equality, with notable achievements in energy efficiency, CO₂ reduction, and fostering international collaboration.

Thomas holds a MA from the College of Europe’s Master in European Political and Administrative Studies and an MA from Sciences-Po Lille and he also served as a French Army Reserve Officer. Before joining the European Parliament, Thomas worked as a researcher and research director, specialising in EU energy and climate policy, at the Institute for Climate Economics (I4CE) and the Jacques Delors Institute. He also worked in academia at the College of Europe and the French National administration. An expert on energy and climate issues, he continues to teach at Sciences Po in Paris and at the College of Europe’s Energy Union Training Programme in Bruges.

With a law degree and a master’s degree in commercial sciences/business management, Véronique Willems brings over 25 years of advocacy experience at local, regional, national, and European levels. Her work is grounded in years of counseling and mentoring small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), using their real-world experiences to shape an SME-friendly business environment. Since 2017, she has served as Secretary General of SMEunited, the association representing crafts and SMEs in Europe. SMEunited represents 65 SME organizations, including national cross-sectoral and European sectoral federations, spanning over 30 European countries.