Board of trustees
Pasqual Maragall
Founder
Pasqual Maragall i Mira was born in Barcelona in 1941. He has a Doctorate in Economics from Barcelona Autonomous University and a Degree in Law from University of Barcelona.
Under his lead as mayor, the Olympic Games were brought to Barcelona in 1992. He was President of the Autonomous Government of Catalonia from 2003 to 2006
Diana Garrigosa
Founder
(1944-2020) She had a Degree in Economic Science from Barcelona University and a Master’s Degree in Economic Science, specialising in Econometrics, from the New School for Social Research of New York.
She worked at the Barcelona City Hall ‘Centre Ordenador Municipal’ and as an IT teacher at the Escuela Aula School in Barcelona.
She founded the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, together with Pasqual Maragall in 2008, and was the appointed president of the entity in 2013.
Cristina Maragall
President
She holds a degree in Architecture from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. From 1994 to 2004 she was the social housing project manager for the Batlle i Roig architectural firm. She has run her own studio since 2004.
She has been a board member of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation since 2008, and has assumed representation-related tasks since 2015. In February 2020, she was appointed president of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation.
Daughter of Diana Garrigosa and Pasqual Maragall, born in Barcelona in 1967. Mother of two children, Gabriel and Nuno.
Santiago de Torres
First Vice-President
He has a degree in Medicine. He has taught at several Spanish universities and has held posts of responsibility in the Spanish government: Director General, Ministry of Health, Under-Secretary of Culture and Under-Secretary of Social Affairs. He has served as Delegate of the Government of Catalonia in Madrid and an outstanding expert in the European Commission. He was president of Ifigenia Plus, Tárraco Eolia, Bumerang, Emplaza and vice-president of Terra Lycos. He currently presides over Althia, Ediagnostic and the Inveready Biotech Risk Capital Fund. He is on several boards of administration and in advisory councils in the ICT, Finance and Insurance, Transport, Communication and Health sectors. He is a member of the boards of the Albeniz, Gran Teatro del Liceo, Museo Reina Sofía, Santa María La Real and Alianza por la Solidaridad foundations. He presides over the Editorial Board for LID publishing in Spain.
Montserrat Vendrell
Second Vice-President
Partner at Alta Life Sciences, a venture capital fund for life science companies, with headquarters in Barcelona. Former posts include: Managing Director of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Parc Científic de Barcelona, and Biocat. PhD in Biology by UB (1991), Master’s Degree in Science Communication (Barcelona School of Management-UPF 1997) and General Management Program by IESE (2007). Trustee of EADA and Board Member of RACC.
Jordi Camí
Third Vice-President
Doctor in Medicine, specialized in Clinical Pharmacology, Professor at the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) and Director of the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB).
For more than 35 years, his scientific activity has focused on the field of neuroscience. Academically he has worked at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the Pompeu Fabra University, holding different positions in both universities (Delegate of the Rector, Dean and Head of Department).
He was the Director of the Municipal Medical Research Institute from 1985 and 2005, took part in starting up new research centres and has encouraged research infrastructures such as the PRBB, which manages since 2005. He was the first director of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation from 2008 to 2020.
Board Members
Núria Basi
+
Núria Basi
Degree in Biology (University of Barcelona, 1976), with 20 years of R&D experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Current president of BASI GROUP, a corporate group consisting of fashion wear companies. President of the Social Board of Pompeu Fabra University and member of a number of economic and social organizations such as Cercle d’Economia, Grup Set, and Institut Guttmann.
Joaquim Boixareu
+Joaquim Boixareu
Degree in Business Science and MBA from ESADE (Barcelona), the École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC) in Paris and the New York University. Managing Director of Irestal Group. He is Patron of Honour of the FemCAT Foundation of Private Businesspeople, a Member of the Board of the Enciclopedia Catalana Foundation and the CIDOB (Centre for International Studies and Documentation in Barcelona). In the academic world, he presided over the Social Council of Catalonia Polytechnic Universityat the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) from 2008 to 2013.
Joaquim Coello
+Joaquim Coello
He studied naval engineering at the Higher Technical School of Naval Engineers of Madrid. He also earned an MBA at IESE. He was CEO and President of Applus from 2006 to 2014, CEO of ITP, General Director of Gamesa, Dean of the Official School of Naval and Oceanic Engineers of Spain, President of the Barcelona Port Authority and President of the Social Council of University of Barcelona. He has received 2 crosses of Naval Merit and one of Aeronautical Merit. He also holds the Grand Cross of Order of Alfonso X El Sabio and was named “Best nautical sportsperson” in 1978. He is now adviser to the President of Gamesa, a member of the board of several companies and associate Vice-President of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Marta Grabulosa
+Marta Grabulosa
She has a Degree in Geography and History from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and a Master’s Degree from ESADE in service company management. She was senior technician for Barcelona City Hall administration and Head of Maragall’s Cabinet for 10 years in the Parliament of Catalonia and in the Presidency of the Government of Catalonia. She has been the Director of Aula Barcelona, city knowledge centre and Director of the Year of Cerdà organised by Barcelona Contemporary Culture Centre.
Airy Maragall
+Airy Maragall
Screenwriter and director of documentaries. She studied at the Faculty of Information Sciences and the Master’s Degree in TV and Cinema, both at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). Since 1988, she has worked as a freelancer on radio and then TV, where she was part of the screenwriting teams for fiction TV series, entertainment programs and contests, outreach and educational spaces and large format events. Since 2000, her career has been focused on the creation and development of documentaries. From 2007 to 2015, she was a teacher at the National University of Lanús (Buenos Aires, Argentina). Today, she shares her dedication to documentaries with the editorial management of Memorias Ediciones, which is based in Barcelona and creates biographies and memoir books in Spain and Latin America.
Guillem Maragall
+Guillem Maragall
Son of Diana Garrigosa and Pasqual Maragall, born in Barcelona in 1980. He is married and has two children, Nolasc and Júlia. With an academic background in Tourism Studies, since February 2009 he has worked in the service sector as a sales administrator and R&D project manager for Sodexo. For three years and prior to this, he worked as a cleaning manager and sales administrator for the cleaning services public tender section at Valoriza (Sacyr Vallhermoso Group). From 1999 to 2005 he worked in the hotel sector.
Jordi Mercader Miró
+Jordi Mercader Miró
He received a PhD in Industrial Engineering from the School of Industrial Engineering of Barcelona. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Economics and Business Administration from IESE. He is president of Miquel y Costas & Miquel, S.A., vice president of the Vidacaixa Group, S.A. and also sits on the board of directors for Corporación Alimentaria Peñasanta, S.A., Vidacaixa Group, S.A. and Isolux Corsan, S.A. Earlier in his business career he was also president of the Instituto Nacional de Industria, Empresa Nacional Bazán de Construcciones Navales Militares, S.A. and Sociedad General de Aguas de Barcelona, S.A. He was also a director and member of the Executive Committee at Caja de Ahorros y Pensiones de Barcelona (1999-2012) and CaixaBank, S.A. (2008-12).
Arcadi Navarro
+Arcadi Navarro
He has a PhD in Biology from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, serving as professor of genetics and lecturer and researcher at ICREA in its Department of Experimental and Health Sciences at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Director of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation and the BarcelonaBeta Brain Research Center. His research focuses on population genetics, molecular evolution, genome-to-phenome relationships, and evolutionary medicine. In January 2016 he was appointed Secretary of Universities and Research of the Department of Knowledge and Business of the Government of Catalonia, a position he held until July 2018.
Marcel Prunera
+Marcel Prunera
Degree in Economic Science (UB), founder and professor of Postgraduate Program on Regional Strategy and Competitiveness of Polytechnic University of Catalonia, and entrepreneurship professor in different postgraduate programs. Former Director General for Economic Promotion in the Economy and Finance Department, Autonomous Government of Catalonia (2005-2010). At present, partner at Crea Inversión and founder and partner at Imacity and Antirumors Global. Partner at GuinotPrunera, a 112-year old real estate company, and Board Member.
Narcís Serra
+Narcís Serra
He holds a PhD in Economics. He is the President of the IBEI, Barcelona Institute of International Studies, and member of the Board of Patrons of CIDOB, Centre for Studies and International Documentation in Barcelona. Other posts include: President of the CIDOB (2000-2012), President of the Board of Patrons of Catalonia National Art Museum (2004-2011), President of the savings bank Caja de Ahorros de Cataluña (2005-2010), member of Congress for Barcelona (1986 to 2004), Vice-President of the Government (1991-1995), Minister of Defence (1982-1991), Mayor of Barcelona (1979-1982). And minister for Territorial Policy and Public Works of the Government of Catalonia (1977 to 1979). He is an Honorary Fellow of the London School of Economics and Political Science.
David Vegara
+David Vegara
Degree in Economics by Autonomous University of Barcelona and Master’s Degree in Economics by the London School of Economics. Associate professor at ESADE Business School, independent advisor to Banc Sabadell and member of Supervisory Board of the Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations (HCAP). Former posts include: Joint Managing Director of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) up to 2015; Deputy Director of the Western Hemisphere Department and Mission Chief for Brazil at the International Monetary Fund (2010-2012); State Secretary for Economic Affairs (2004-2009); Chairman of the European Union’s Financial Services Committee (2005-2009); Secretary General for Health and Social Security Department of the Autonomous Government of Catalonia (2004); and Deputy Managing Director, Managing Director, and Chairman of InterMoney, S.A. (1996-2003). He started his professional activity at the Economic Department of the Cabinet of the Spanish President (1993-1995) and at Banc Sabadell (1992-1993).
"la Caixa" Foundation (Antonio Vila / Àngel Font)
+"la Caixa" Foundation (Antonio Vila / Àngel Font)
Antonio Vila was born in Barcelona in 1949, he is Chief Executive Officer of Caixa d’Estalvis i Pensions de Barcelona, ”la Caixa” Banking Foundation since December 2019.
Graduate in Economic Sciences from the University of Barcelona. In 1975 he did a placement in Business Management in Sacramento (United States of America).
In 1975 he joined the Catalana Occidente Insurance Group in its life insurance business. In 1977 he began his professional career as a manager at Banca Jover, as Office Manager and Securities Department Manager. After its acquisition by Banco Santander in 1978 he held the position of Director of Head Office. In 1980 he joined Nido Industrial, S.A. in Holdings Management, both in Brazil and in Italy. He was Regional Director for Catalonia at Banco Internacional de Comercio (1981-1983) and at Banco Saudí Español-Saudesbank (1983-1985). In 1985 he began his career at ”la Caixa” as Territorial Manager of Grupo Caixa, a post he held until 1987. From 1987 to 1989 he held the position of Deputy Commercial Director and from 1989 to 1991, the position of General Deputy Director for Loan Capital, Capital Market and Insurance. In 1991 he went on to hold executive positions in the insurance group of ”la Caixa”, was appointed general Director and Board Member of VidaCaixa, and SegurCaixa, and also Board Member of Acesa and Adeslas. In 1998 he was appointed Executive Director of ”la Caixa”, member of the Management Committee and Territorial Director for Catalonia. In 2008 he was appointed Chairman of CaixaRenting. In 2012 he joined CaixaBank, and was involved in the merger processes of Banca Cívica and Banco de Valencia. In 2014 he was appointed Chairman of MicroBank, and in 2015 was also appointed Chairman of CaixaBank Consumer Finance (CCF) an institution that merged with CaixaRenting in the same year.
Angel Font has a PhD in Economics (Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona) and a degree in Chemistry (Universitat de Barcelona). He has also received an MBA from EADA Business School.
He began his career at an environmental engineering company, and soon after joined Intermón Oxfam where he held different managerial posts, first as coordinator of Latin American programmes and later on as an assistant general director serving as coordinator of integration in Oxfam and manager of strategic planning. He later joined Caixa Catalunya as director of the Fundació Un Sol Món where he promoted microfinance programmes, labour insertion and social housing.
In 2010 he joined the Fundació “la Caixa”, dividing his time supporting strategic development and as manager at Fundació ISGlobal. In 2012 he was appointed Personnel and Strategy Director and in 2014 he joined the management committee of “la Caixa” Banking Foundation where he serves as secretary. Today, he holds the post of Corporate Director of Research and Strategy.
Corporate Council
Antonio García Ferrer
ACS Foundation
Vice president of Fundación ACS. He holds a degree in Economics from the Autonomous University of Madrid and a PhD in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. He was lecturer at the University of Alcalá de Henares, Visiting Fulbright Scholar at the University of Chicago and Visiting Scholar at Lancaster University (UK). Since 1983 he is professor of Econometrics and Statistical Methods of the Department of Economic Analysis: Quantitative Economics at the Autonomous University of Madrid. He was Director of the Master’s Program in Public Finance of the Instituto de Estudios Fiscales (Institute of Taxation Studies) (1989-1993) and Coordinator of the Economics Department of the Agencia Nacional de Evaluación y Prospectiva (National Agency for Evaluation and Planning) (ANEP, 2000-2001). He is the author of seven books and more than 60 research articles in the field of econometrics, time series, Bayesian statistics, unobserved components models, economic forecasting and transportation.
Miquel Molins
Fundación Banco Sabadell
Miquel Molins holds a PhD in History and Theory of Contemporary Art from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. He was a lecturer at the Eina and Massana schools in Barcelona and thesis supervisor for the Metropolis Master’s programme at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. For the academic year 1994-1995 he was Visiting Professor of the Art History, Theory and Criticism Department of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He has run the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art and was curator of the Miró Foundation in Barcelona. He was also curator of several different exhibitions in Spain and abroad. He is the author of various essays on art criticism, and modern and contemporary art published in journals and specialist press. He is currently lecturer of Theory and Contemporary Art at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Chairman-Director of Fundación Banco Sabadell.
Executive committee members
President
Montserrat Vendrell
President
Partner at Alta Life Sciences, a venture capital fund for life science companies, with headquarters in Barcelona. Former posts include: Managing Director of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Parc Científic de Barcelona, and Biocat. PhD in Biology by UB (1991), Master’s Degree in Science Communication (Barcelona School of Management-UPF 1997) and General Management Program by IESE (2007). Trustee of EADA and Board Member of RACC.
Members
Jordi Camí
+Jordi Camí
Doctor in Medicine, specialised in Clinical Pharmacology, Professor at the Pompeu Fabra University of Barcelona and managing director of the Biomedical Research Park of Barcelona (PRBB). His scientific activity focused for more than 25 years in the field of neuroscience. His academic activity has been developed between the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the Pompeu Fabra University and he has held different posts in both universities (delegate of the dean, deacon and head of department). He was Director of the Municipal Medical Research Institute from 1985 and 2005 and took part in starting up new research centres, such as the Genome Regulation Centre and the Regenerative Medicine Centre of Barcelona and particularly of the PRBB, which he has directed since 2005.
Joaquim Coello
+Joaquim Coello
Naval engineer from the Higher Technical School of Naval Engineers of Madrid. MBA IESE. He was CEO and president of Applus from 2006 to 2014, CEO of ITP, director general of Gamesa, deacon of the Official School of Naval and Oceanic Engineers of Spain, president of Barcelona Port Authority and president of the Social Board of Barcelona University. He has received 2 crosses for Naval Merit and one for Aeronautical Merit. He also holds the grand Cross of the Order of Alfonso X El Sabio and was named “Best nautical sportsperson” in 1978. He is now adviser to the Gamesa Presidency, a member of the board on several companies and second vice president of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Marcel Prunera
+Marcel Prunera
Degree in Economic Science (UB), founder and professor of Postgraduate Program on Regional Strategy and Competitiveness of Polytechnic University of Catalonia, and entrepreneurship professor in different postgraduate programs. Former Director General for Economic Promotion in the Economy and Finance Department, Autonomous Government of Catalonia (2005-2010). At present, partner at Crea Inversión and founder and partner at Imacity and Antirumors Global. Partner at GuinotPrunera, a 112-year old real estate company, and Board Member.
Arcadi Navarro
+Arcadi Navarro
He has a PhD in Biology from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, serving as professor of genetics and lecturer and researcher at ICREA in its Department of Experimental and Health Sciences at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Director of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation and the BarcelonaBeta Brain Research Center. His research focuses on population genetics, molecular evolution, genome-to-phenome relationships, and evolutionary medicine. In January 2016 he was appointed Secretary of Universities and Research of the Department of Knowledge and Business of the Government of Catalonia, a position he held until July 2018.
"la Caixa" Foundation (Antonio Vila / Àngel Font)
+"la Caixa" Foundation (Antonio Vila / Àngel Font)
Antonio Vila was born in Barcelona in 1949, he is Chief Executive Officer of Caixa d’Estalvis i Pensions de Barcelona, ”la Caixa” Banking Foundation since December 2019.
Graduate in Economic Sciences from the University of Barcelona. In 1975 he did a placement in Business Management in Sacramento (United States of America).
In 1975 he joined the Catalana Occidente Insurance Group in its life insurance business. In 1977 he began his professional career as a manager at Banca Jover, as Office Manager and Securities Department Manager. After its acquisition by Banco Santander in 1978 he held the position of Director of Head Office. In 1980 he joined Nido Industrial, S.A. in Holdings Management, both in Brazil and in Italy. He was Regional Director for Catalonia at Banco Internacional de Comercio (1981-1983) and at Banco Saudí Español-Saudesbank (1983-1985). In 1985 he began his career at ”la Caixa” as Territorial Manager of Grupo Caixa, a post he held until 1987. From 1987 to 1989 he held the position of Deputy Commercial Director and from 1989 to 1991, the position of General Deputy Director for Loan Capital, Capital Market and Insurance. In 1991 he went on to hold executive positions in the insurance group of ”la Caixa”, was appointed general Director and Board Member of VidaCaixa, and SegurCaixa, and also Board Member of Acesa and Adeslas. In 1998 he was appointed Executive Director of ”la Caixa”, member of the Management Committee and Territorial Director for Catalonia. In 2008 he was appointed Chairman of CaixaRenting. In 2012 he joined CaixaBank, and was involved in the merger processes of Banca Cívica and Banco de Valencia. In 2014 he was appointed Chairman of MicroBank, and in 2015 was also appointed Chairman of CaixaBank Consumer Finance (CCF) an institution that merged with CaixaRenting in the same year.
Angel Font has a PhD in Economics (Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona) and a degree in Chemistry (Universitat de Barcelona). He has also received an MBA from EADA Business School.
He began his career at an environmental engineering company, and soon after joined Intermón Oxfam where he held different managerial posts, first as coordinator of Latin American programmes and later on as an assistant general director serving as coordinator of integration in Oxfam and manager of strategic planning. He later joined Caixa Catalunya as director of the Fundació Un Sol Món where he promoted microfinance programmes, labour insertion and social housing.
In 2010 he joined the Fundació “la Caixa”, dividing his time supporting strategic development and as manager at Fundació ISGlobal. In 2012 he was appointed Personnel and Strategy Director and in 2014 he joined the management committee of “la Caixa” Banking Foundation where he serves as secretary. Today, he holds the post of Corporate Director of Research and Strategy.