Tamas Szucs
Director, European Commission DG Education, Youth, Sport and Culture

Tamas Szucs is the Director for Culture and Creativity in DG EAC. Prior to that he was Head of Representation of the EC in Hungary, Director for Strategy in DG COMM, and Head of Cabinet for two Commissioners in the Prodi and Barroso Commissions. He studied law, political science and aesthetics in Budapest and Oxford.

Helena Bjarnegård, architect
State Architect of Sweden

Helena Bjarnegård, recently appointed as Sweden’s first national architect, will be leading the work within the field of architecture nationally, providing a structure that supports those planning and building in Sweden to create well-designed towns and cities. The responsibility of the national architect is to represent these high ambitions and to embody the vision of the Swedish government to create more sustainable, equal cities, now and in the future. Having previously worked as a municipal architect and planner, Bjarnegård recognises the challenges that we face bringing together this holistic vision.

Meri Lumela
Chair of the City Board, City of Jyväskylä

Meri Lumela is the chairperson of the Jyväskylä City Board, the chairman of the Central Finland’s Green Party and a board member in the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities. Meri is employed as the principal at Halssila’s primary school in Jyväskylä.

Antti Nousjoki, architect SAFA
Partner, ALA Architects

Antti Nousjoki is one of the founding partners of ALA Architects, the Helsinki-based firm that has designed the new Helsinki Central Library Oodi and several major public projects, including Kilden Performing Arts Centre in Kristiansand, Norway and the Kuopio and Lappeenranta City Theatres here in Finland. Prior to ALA, Antti worked at such offices as OMA in Rotterdam. He enjoys writing and has been a regular contributor to the Finnish Architectural Review and the Swedish architecture and design magazine Form.

Alejandro del Castillo, architect
n’UNDO, Spain

Architect Alejandro del Castillo studied at the Superior Technical School of Architecture of Madrid (UPM) and Oxford Brookes University, England. He is currently writing his doctoral dissortation in Subtraction and Processes of Minimum Intervention in Architecture. He has focused in humanitarian aid, among other activities the construction of schools, water systems, ebola treatment centres and the management of refugee camps. In 2011 he co-founded n´UNDO as a different way of (un)doing re-Architecture, in the territory and the city from Not Doing, Undoing and Redoing. Its work has been recognized with international and national awards and mentions.

Anne Mette Rahbæk
Development Manager, Realdania By & Byg, Denmark

Anne Mette Rahbæk Warburg is Development Manager in Realdania By & Byg – a subsidiary of the Danish Philanthropic Association Realdania. The company is based on philanthropic investments in urban development, innovative and experimental buildings and more than 50 historic buildings located all over Denmark. During the past 15 years, Realdania By & Byg has developed a sustainable business model for its activities. Anne Mette is also a member of the Danish UNESCO National Commission and has a background as Director General for the Danish Heritage Agency and for the Danish Agency for Culture.

Maya Lauridsen Færc
Senior Project Leader, Lendager Group, Denmark

Maya Lauridsen Færc leads the circular construction consultancy of Lendager TCW – a strategic innovation consultancy based in Denmark. She advices players across the construction value chain on how to go circular by building the world of tomorrow with the waste of today while working towards designing a world without waste. Furthermore, Maya is a member of the international board of Family Business Network supporting families on how to future-proof their businesses through sustainable practices. Maya has a background as founding partner in the impact investment consultancy, SDGlead, and as strategy consultant in PwC. Her main goal is to accelerate the transition to circular construction through design-thinking, R&D and strategic partnerships across industries.

Anni Laurila, architect SAFA
SingularityU GSP15 Alumna

Anni Laurila aims to bring longer term perspectives to architecture and urban planning. As an architect, deputy manager and entrepreneur she works on projects from new buildings and renewals of historical areas to master plans of city centers and islands. After winning Finland’s first Global Impact Challenge, she attended Singularity University’s Global Solutions Program at NASA Ames in California, seeking solutions to global problems by leveraging rapidly advancing technologies. She is a World Economic Forum’s Global Shaper and a climate leader through Al Gore’s climate training. Anni is also a working group member of Finland’s Architectural Policy for the Ministry of Culture and Education and Ministry of Environment.

Georg Pendl
President, Architects’ Council of Europe

Georg Pendl is the President of the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE). He is the founder of pendlarchitects in Innsbruck. He was the president of the Federal Chamber of Austrian Architects’ and Engineers’ 2006-2014. He has been co-intitiator of the first Austrian parliamentarian enquete on Baukultur and has been member of the advisory committee for Baukultur at the Austrian chancellery since its beginning 2007-2014. He is a member of the European Commission’s expert group for the cultural heritage.

Jenni Pitko, Architect SAFA
Member of the Finnish Parliament

Jenni Pitko is a Member of Parliament representing the Green League. Pitko, originally hailing from Northern Finland, is a member of SAFA and has worked as an architect before her career as an MP. Most recently before her time in the Parliament, Pitko worked in the Finnish company Kanttia 2 Architects. Pitko is a graduate of Oulu University.

Anni Sinnemäki
Deputy Mayor for Urban Environment, City of Helsinki

Anni Sinnemäki has been the Deputy Mayor for the City of Helsinki, responsible for city planning and real estate, since 2015. Since June 2017 she is in charge of Helsinki’s Urban Environment Division. Sinnemäki was Member of the Finnish Parliament for 15 years (1999–2015), representing The Green League of Finland. She was Minister of Labour from 2009 to 2011.

Tommi Lindh, Architect SAFA
CEO, Alvar Aalto Foundation

Tommi Lindh has been concentrating on issues concerning the sustainable conservation of modern architecture and Alvar Aalto. During his time as the director of the Alvar Aalto Foundation and Museum he has designed ten exhibitions to the Alvar Aalto Museum Gallery in Jyväskylä, written several articles on Aalto and lectured on a variety of subjects in several countries. Today he works to advance the nomination of Aalto’s sites to the World Heritage List and to widen the cooperation between the Alvar Aalto Cities of the world.

Tuuli Kaskinen
Executive Advisor, Demos Helsinki

Tuuli Kaskinen has 15 years’ experience tackling the most critical issue of our time – climate change – with companies, cities and governments. uuli also helps a wide range of organisations as a board member and advisor. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Fira oy and the University of Turku and a member of the Advisory Board of Fortum. She has studied international business at Turku School of Economics. Tuuli is a noted speaker, facilitator and commentator.

Saara Vauramo
Program Director, Lahti Green Capital 2021

Saara Vauramo works as a Programme Director of Lahti European Green Capital 2021. She has a PhD in Environmental sciences and 15 years experience with urban development questions. Her current focus is on transformation processes of cities towards carbon-neutral, resource-wise, livable, fun and inclusive future. A lot to work – a lot to learn every day!