CISE High Level Event

Chris Burns is a media professional with over 30 years of experience, having worked with Euronews, CNN, Bloomberg TV, and France 24. He hosted Euronews talk show The Network for five years and has covered a wide range of events, from politics to natural disasters. Chris also moderates panels for organizations such as the World Economic Forum and the UN. He is a dual US-French national and speaks five languages: English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian.

Mrs. Charlina Vitcheva has been Director General of DG MARE, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, since June 2020. Prior to this, she served as Deputy Director General of the Joint Research Center (JRC) and acting Director General in 2019-2020. She previously held senior roles at DG Regional and Urban Policy, overseeing growth and development in Southern and Northern Europe. Before joining the European Commission, she worked in the Bulgarian public administration for 15 years, playing a key role in Bulgaria's EU accession negotiations, notably in charge of agricultural and fisheries dossiers.

Beate Gminder is the Acting Director-General of DG Migration and Home Affairs at the European Commission since January 2024. She has previously served as Deputy Director-General in charge of the Task Force Migration Management. Beate held leadership roles including Director of Migration and Security Funds and Secretary General of the European Ombudsman. Prior to joining the European Commission, she worked in journalism. She holds diplomas in communications and political science from Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich and completed a leadership course at Harvard Kennedy School.

Fotini Ioannidou is the Director of Waterborne Transport at the Directorate General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission since June 2024. She previously served as Acting Director and Head of the Maritime Safety Unit. Having joined the Commission in 1994, her roles have included Deputy Head of Unit in transport and energy policy and Head of the Road Safety Unit. She holds degrees in electrical engineering, electronics, and information systems, and has prior experience as a telecommunications consultant in Paris.

Ms. Maja Markovčić Kostelac has been the Executive Director of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) since January 2019, she is responsible for the running and development of the Agency under the oversight of its Administrative Board. Prior to this, she served as State Secretary for Croatia`s Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure, focusing on maritime transport, safety, and environmental protection. She has extensive experience in both public and private maritime sectors and has represented Croatia in international forums like the IMO and ILO. Since joining EMSA, she has led its five-year strategy and key initiatives related to the European Green Deal and digital solutions for maritime governance.

Rear-Admiral Pierre Rialland is a naval officer, currently Deputy Secretary General of the French Secretariat General for the Sea under the authority of the Prime Minister and responsible for coordinating government action at sea. He was previously appointed to human resources management, and has been in charge of collective security, intelligence policy and maritime operations at the NATO office of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs Relations and Strategy. During his career in the Navy, he carried out twenty-two operational deployments and took part in intelligence operations, special operations, anti-submarine warfare and escort of the aircraft carrier strike group. He has commanded combat ships, submarines, and the nuclear attack submarine squadron.

Dr. Weston is Senior Coordinator for Maritime Security at the European External Action Service, responsible for policy development and coordination on maritime security and the EU’s Coordinated Maritime Presences in key regions. She leads the EEAS contribution to the EU’s updated Maritime Security Strategy. Previously, she headed Partnerships under the EU’s Strategic Compass and coordinated security relationships with global partners and organizations like the UN and NATO. Dr. Weston has extensive experience in EU crisis management and served as Chief of Staff in Kosovo. She holds a doctorate in Political and Social Science from the European University Institute.

Admiral Giuseppe Aulicino is the Head of the Human Resources Department at the Italian Coast Guard Headquarters. He has served as a Line Officer in the Italian Navy and specialized in Anti-Submarine Warfare before joining the Coast Guard. Aulicino has extensive experience in ICT, safety, and maritime operations, including coordinating the MAREΣ project for maritime information sharing in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. He also represented Italy in various international and European maritime forums. Previously, he headed the ITC and Operations departments at the Coast Guard HQ

Captain Ventsislav Ivanov holds a Master’s degree in Navigation from Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy and became a Foreign Going (FG) Master. He has extensive experience as a Ship Master and held various management roles in the Bulgarian Maritime Administration, including Executive Director from 2004 to 2007 and again from 2021. He also served as Harbour Master of Varna and held positions in the Bulgarian Fisheries and Aquaculture Agency.

Mr. Stefano Cont has been the Capability, Armament, and Planning Director at the European Defense Agency since April 2022. A Lieutenant General in the Italian Armed Forces and a command pilot with over 3,400 flying hours, he has served as Head of the Political Military Office and as Defense Attaché in Washington, D.C. for the US, Canada, and Mexico. He holds numerous academic titles and has authored publications on geopolitics and strategic planning.

Rear Admiral Louis Tillier joined the Naval Academy in 1995. After various operational assignments at sea and work in space and intelligence for the Ministry of Defence, he became Deputy Director of the European Union Satellite Centre (SatCen) in 2021. He coordinated SatCen's operational work and strategic development and has been Director since June 2024.

Lotje van der Made is the Acting Director of the Operational Planning Division and Head of the Pre-Return Unit at Frontex. Before joining Frontex, she worked at Europol’s European Migrant Smuggling Centre, developing tools to combat migrant smuggling. She also held roles at the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee and the Dutch Immigration Service, focusing on migration management. Lotje holds a Master’s in "China Studies" from Leiden University and a Master’s in "Security, Conflict and International Development" from Leicester University.

Viitala Valtteri is currently serving as Justice and Home Affairs Counsellor at the Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU. He has 17 years of experience with the Finnish Border Guard, primarily focusing on coast guard functions. His notable roles include Chief of Operations for the West Finland Coast Guard District and Border Security Expert at the International Affairs Unit of the Finnish Border Guard HQ. Additionally, he has served as the commanding officer of both an offshore patrol vessel and a coast guard station.

Ronan Boillot is the head of the DNGCD, the coast guard branch of French Customs. He has over 29 years of public administration experience, starting as a Navy officer and holding various leadership roles, including Naval attaché to India and Director of the DNGCD since 2021. He is responsible for managing French Custom`s naval and aerial fleet. Boillot holds a Master`s degree in business and finance law from Université de Paris II and is a graduate of the École de Guerre and the École Nationale d'Administration (ENA).

Jadran Klinec is the Director of the Slovenian Maritime Administration and represents Slovenia on the EMSA Administrative Board. He holds a master’s degree in marine engineering from the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport in Portorož, Slovenia. He is certified as a Chief Engineer Officer for ships with propulsion power of 3000 kW or more. With a maritime background, he actively promotes maritime law and the seafaring profession.

Commander Evangelista joined the Naval Academy in 1993 and has served on various vessels, including the submarine "Mistral" and as Commanding Officer of the Maritime Action Ship "Meteoro." Ashore, he has held roles such as Head of the Tactical Programs Center for submarines and maritime analyst in the Combined Air Operations Center. He holds specialties in Submarines, Communications, and IT, and is a graduate in Military Computer Science and General Staff. Additionally, he is a Computer Engineer with several master's degrees.

Rear Admiral Georgios Floros is currently the Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff. He is a 1988 graduate of the Hellenic Naval Academy and has commanded several vessels, including the HS SALAMIS during NATO and EU operations. His operational experience includes major international missions such as ATALANTA and Active Endeavour. Ashore, he served in various strategic roles within the Hellenic Navy and NATO. Rear Admiral Floros holds a Master's in Computer Science from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, USA.

Sven Tahon has over 30 years of experience in EU and international fisheries monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS). He began as a national fisheries enforcement officer, joined the European Commission (DG MARE) in 2001, and EFCA in 2007. Currently, he oversees the implementation of innovative surveillance technologies in fisheries control. Since 2011, he has been involved in CISE, representing EFCA and the fisheries control community.

Captain Eric Turquet de Beauregard has been Head of the Coast Guard and Law Enforcement Unit at the French Secretariat General for the Sea since September 2022. Previously, he served as Deputy Coordinator for Maritime Security at the Ministry of Defence. He has extensive experience in maritime law, peacekeeping, and international relations, having been deployed as a legal advisor in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Chad. He also served as Deputy Military Advisor at France`s Permanent Representation to the UN in New York.

Salamone Luca Vincenzo Maria is the Director General of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) since November 2023. He holds degrees in law and political science, along with a PhD in Public Law from the University of Rome Tor Vergata. With nearly 30 years of experience in public administration, he has held roles at the Ministry of Defence, focusing on military procurement and international agreements, including NATO. Previously, he was the Coordinator of the Task Force for Maritime Policies at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. Dr. Salamone has also taught international law and maritime law at the Naval Academy of Livorno.

Commander Florence Wagner joined the French Navy in 1988 and has held various responsibilities on supply ships, frigates, and aircraft carriers. She has commanded an offshore patrol vessel and was engaged in security operations in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean. After 19 years of service at sea, she took on staff roles in Paris and Toulon, focusing on Frontex operations. Since 2018, she has headed the Coast Guard function operational center at the Secretariat General for the Sea. She holds degrees in combat systems and an E-MBA from Kedge Business School.

Linda is an expert in EU projects management and in Geographic information system. She is in charge of implementing the Common Information Sharing Environment in France.

In the last 10 years, Linda has managed technical projects with private companies and public authorities.

Miran Bordon is the Head of Development and EU Projects at the Slovenian Maritime Administration. He is responsible for maritime traffic monitoring services, project implementation, and managing maritime communication infrastructure. Bordon is the national contact point for EMSA tasks like SafeSeaNet and the European Maritime Single Window. He has led numerous maritime projects, including the establishment of Slovenia`s AIS network, the Maritime Traffic Control Center, and the European Maritime Single Window. Bordon has also been involved in various EU projects, including CISE-ALERT and Interreg Adrion.

Mojca Obid is an Undersecretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Slovenian Maritime Administration, in the Development and EU Projects section. She is responsible for coordinating and implementing EU projects and currently serves as the Communication Manager for the CISE-ALERT project. Mojca is also involved in other EU projects, including ASAP and SEMAS-EMSWe. She has over 10 years of experience working in various government and public institutions.

Krasiyana Nikolaeva is the Head of the "Projects" Unit at the Executive Agency “Maritime Administration” in Bulgaria. She holds master`s degrees in accounting and financial control, as well as Human Resources Management, and has a Postgraduate diploma in European structural and investment funds. Her career includes experience in finance, HR management, and EU project management. Since 2015, she has led the Project Management Unit and has been involved with CISE projects since 2013, including COOP, EUCISE 2020, and the CISE Operational Phase.

Delilah Al Khudhairy is the Director for Maritime Policy and Blue Economy at the European Commission`s DG MARE. She drives maritime policy and promotes knowledge, innovation, and investment in the blue economy. Delilah co-leads the development of the EU Mission Ocean & Waters and coordinates EU maritime security efforts. Previously, she was Director for Strategy at the Joint Research Centre. She holds a B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Materials Science Engineering from London University.