About Us
CRES – Centre for Research and European Studies – Future Business is a newly formed European non-profit Association founded by ten Organisations from 8 different Countries (DE, ES, EL, IT, MT, PT, SE, RU) with valuable experience and specific expertise for an innovative development perspective of “future business”. It includes several actors (e.g. public and private Universities, business, school, etc.) from across Europe who are joining forces to develop and implement studies, research and European projects in the field of human resources management, education and training, ICT, social inclusion and Quality Assurance in order to enhance and valorise the professional network of its Members and thus promoting active citizenship across Europe.
Executive Committee
Meetings – at least four/year (also online)
Mario Spatafora
President
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Prof. Mario Spatafora is the General Secretary of Effebi Association and the European Projects Coordinator within EFFEBI Association, responsible for identifying project ideas and appropriate Partnerships. He has been Professor – by the Department of Training Sciences at the University Roma Tre – in organisational development with a specific course on the European instruments for the long-life learning (EQF/ECVET/EQARF). Previously, after a brief working experience in the Study Department of the European Commission in Luxembourg, he worked for ABI – the Italian Banking Association – and was in charge of the General Secretariat and then of the Organisational Development and Human Resources Department.
Josep Soler Alberti
Vice-President
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Josep SOLER-ALBERTÍ, CEO, IEF; Founder and Chairman EFPA 2010-2018, Executive director EFPA Spain
Is CEO of IEF http://www.iefweb.org , the leading Spanish banking and financial trainer; founder in 2000, Chairman since 2010 to 2018 and Board member of the European Financial Planning Association (EFPA) http://www.efpa-eu.org/. and Executive director of EFPA Spain http://www.efpa.es/, at present the largest Spanish professional association in the financial sector with over 30,000 full certified members. Josep is a leading promoter of financial literacy in Spain through the coordination of EFEC http://www.efec.cat/ .
Josep acts as independent director of several money management firms –TreaCapital http://www.treacapital.com/es/index.php , Mediolanum Gestión, Mediolanum Pensiones, etc, and manages as well his own firm of financial advice and planning.
He is at present member of the CWG of the Investor Protection and Intermediaries Standing Committee of ESMA (European Securities and Markets Authority) https://www.esma.europa.eu/
He is a regular contributor at several economic newspapers, as well as frequent lecturer at seminars and conferences.
He holds a BSc in Economics (Barcelona University), a BSc in business administration and an MBA at ESADE, and a research Diploma at the London School of Economics (LSE).
George Petrou
Vice-President
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Mr. George Petrou, qualified in Financial Planning, Development and Management of vocational training programmes. His qualifications include the development of training materials and tools while he holds extensive experience in learning, teaching, training or youth work and personal development. He holds a master’s degree in Adult Education and he has followed seminars and post-graduate specialisations in subjects such as: training and consultative support and open & distance training for groups at risk of exclusion, diversity, integration and gender equality. He has a long experience in managing and co-ordinating EU projects mainly in the area of Lifelong Learning, local development, youth, vulnerable social groups and employment. In representing “DIMITRA”, he has participated in a wide range of networks, organisations and Board of Directors.
Volker Wittberg
Vice-President
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Prof. Dr. Volker Wittberg has been Professor of SME Management at the Fachhochschule des Mittelstands (FHM), Bielefeld, since 2001, and is Prorector for Research and Development at this HEI.
As visiting professor at the University of Gloucestershire, he is responsible for the extra-occupational doctoral programs offered in cooperation with this British university.
At the same time, since 2010 he has stood before the National Centre for Red Tape Reduction (NZBA), where he has carried out numerous research projects in the field of Better Regulation, among others, on behalf of – and with the support of – various federal ministries.
In 2014, he also took over the management of the FHM-based Centre for Sustainable Governance (CSG).
Alessia Spatafora
Managing Director
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Graduated from the University “Roma Tre” in Architecture, in 2006. She attended Postgraduate Specialization at the “Specializing School for Environmental and Cultural Heritage” at the University of Roma “La Sapienza” on the protection, safeguard, reuse, and valorization of Europe’s cultural heritage.
She has been working for several years in the field of restoration, maintenance, and architectural study of historic buildings and cultural heritage, in Italy and abroad.
Today, she is involved in the management of several European Projects as Project Manager within EFFEBI Association and as Managing Director within CRES-fb. She is responsible for designing, monitoring, communication and research activities in several European and international funding projects in the field of lifelong learning (Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership/Capacity building; Horizon 2020), especially in relation to European Framework and National Qualifications Framework (EQF); certification of competences and Quality Assurance, ECVET; collaboration between education and business environment.
General Secretariat
c/o Effebi Association in Rome (IT)
Benedetta Orlandi Contucci
Treasurer
Valeria Priori
Project Manager
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Benedetta Orlandi Contucci is working Finance & Banking Organisational and HR Development Association (Effebi Association) since 2001.
She is Responsible of the General Secretariat and Secretary of the Board of Directors and of the General Assembly of Members.
She worked previously as a parliamentary assistant to a Member of the Chamber of Deputies.
She hold a BC’s in Romance languages and Literature (Friedrich-Wilhelm Universität in Bonn, Germany).
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Graduated from University of Roma “La Sapienza” in Political Science and International Relations with a master’s degree in International Relations and European Studies (LUISS Guido Carli University).
She is experienced in developing and managing international cooperation projects funded by the European Commission. She had the chance to be involved in the whole project cycle management: formulation, appraisal, implementation, monitoring of projects and delivery of reports, including the management and coordination of projects’ external consultants and consortium partners. She is currently involved in the management of European projects in the field of lifelong learning.
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