The Session

In this edition, we will have the privilege of hosting José Manuel Fernández de Labastida, Director General of the Spanish Research Agency (AEI), the main funding body for scientific research in Spain.

Fernández de Labastida will share his vision on the present and future of R&D&I funding in our country, strategic opportunities for the health sector, and keys to maximizing the impact of collaboration between research, innovation, and business.

The Speaker

José Manuel Fernández de Labastida is Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Santiago de Compostela and current Director General of the Spanish Research Agency.

Ph.D. from Stony Brook University (USA), he completed a postdoctoral stay at the prestigious Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton and was a researcher at CERN for three years. His main research areas include Quantum Field Theory, String Theory, and Knot Theory, having authored over 70 scientific publications.

His experience in scientific management is extraordinary: between 2011 and 2021, he directed the Scientific Management Department of the European Research Council (ERC), and subsequently the Scientific Council Support Unit of this organization until 2025. He has held positions of maximum responsibility at CSIC as Vice President for Scientific and Technical Research (2004-2008), and at the Ministry of Science and Innovation as Director General of Research and General Secretary for Science and Technology Policy.

Recognized with the Medal of the Royal Spanish Physics Society and appointed Corresponding Member of the Royal Galician Academy of Sciences, Fernández de Labastida combines a deep understanding of the European scientific ecosystem with strategic knowledge of R&D&I funding mechanisms.

The Format

30 minutes of informal  presentation, without slides, where Fernández de Labastida will share his  vision and experience.

60 minutes of open and close  debate with attendees, fostering the exchange of ideas and collective knowledge  building.

Practical Information

📅 Date: Wednesday, 12 February 2025

🕐 Time: 17:00 - 19:00h

📍 Venue: EY Offices Barcelona

This event is exclusively for  Catalonia.health members with executive responsibilities (C-level). Places are  limited.

For any questions please contact Verónica Fernández (Communications): comunicacio@catalonia.health.

About AEI

The Spanish Research Agency is the largest funder of research and innovation in Spain. It promotes scientific and technical research in all areas of knowledge through efficient allocation of public resources, funding projects and human resources for research, innovation, and knowledge transfer. AEI actively participates in programs, consortia, and joint programming initiatives at European and international level.

About the CEO Council

The CEO Council is an exclusive meeting and exchange space for C-level executives in the Catalonia.health healthtech and lifesciences ecosystem. A format designed to foster strategic debate, high-value networking, and connections with opinion leaders who are transforming the sector.

See the previous CEO Council speakers here. 

With the support of