Speakers November 2023 – Opening, session I & II

Dr Aleksandrs Cepilovs is a research officer at the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) and a research fellow at Tallinn University of Technology, where he obtained his PhD in Public Administration/Technology Governance. Previously he has worked as a research fellow and project manager at Tallinn University of Technology and was a civil servant in Latvia.

Agnès Diallo has over 20 years of experience supporting government-level institutions and private sector organisations in France and across Europe in the areas of digital identity, data protection, security, as well as business transformation. Before joining eu-LISA in 2023, as an Executive Vice-President and a member of the Executive Committee at IN Groupe – a European leader in digital identity solutions -, she was in charge of the Group Business, Performance and Strategy (2021-2023), and Digital Identity and Services (2019-2021). Agnès has also held a number of senior management positions with global IT company ATOS and was an Associate Principal with McKinsey & Company for over 10 years. She holds a degree in Political Science from the Institut d´Études Politiques de Paris, a master´s degree in Business Administration from Essec Business School and a master´s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.

The European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) was established to provide a long-term solution for the operational management of large-scale IT systems. The Agency currently manages Eurodac, the Schengen Information System (SIS) and the Visa Information System (VIS). Further to these, eu-LISA is developing the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information Authorisation System (ETIAS). These systems and the pre-existing ones are being built/adapted to ensure Interoperability – improved access to information stored in EU information systems and identity management at an EU level. In addition, the Agency’s portfolio has been enlarged within the justice domain: with the development of the European Criminal Records Information System – Third-Country Nationals (ECRIS-TCN), the management of e-CODEX and the development of the Collaboration Platform for Joint Investigation Teams (JITs).

Law Degree and Diploma in Commercial Law from the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas (ICADE) in 1999. He has held various positions in the judiciary and magistracy until 2021 in Asturias, Catalonia and Madrid. He has also worked as a lawyer for the General Council of the Judiciary, within the Judicial School; and as a lawyer of the CGPJ, he has been a member and coordinator of different Working Groups. He has also taught as Honorary Professor of Criminal Law at the Carlos III University of Madrid. Internationally, he has worked extensively in the field of criminal judicial cooperation both within the European Union and with third countries.

The General Secretariat for the Innovation and Quality of the Public Justice Service replaces the former General Secretariat for the Administration of Justice. This General Secretariat was born in 2020 with the challenge of operating a structural transformation of the right to access to justice and effective protection in the exercise of rights and legitimate interests. The following depend on it: the General Directorate for the Public Service of Justice, the Directorate General for the Digital Transformation of the Administration of Justice, the General Directorate of International Legal Cooperation and Human Rights and the Subdirectorate General for Coordination, Auditing and Knowledge Management.

Ana Gallego is the Director-General for Justice and Consumers at the European Commission since November 2021. Before joining the European Commission, she was Director-General of International Legal Cooperation and Human Rights in the Ministry of Justice in Spain. She has a degree in law from the University of Granada, Spain and studies in Translation and Interpretation from the same university.

The Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers is responsible for EU policy on justice, consumer rights and gender equality. The role of the body is to ensure that the whole European Union (EU) is an area of freedom, security and justice. The specific tasks and responsibilities of the DG are laid down by the Treaty of Rome, the Treaty of Amsterdam which came into force on 1 May 1999 and the conclusions of the European Council meeting in Tampere (Finland) in October 1999. As of 2015, the DG Justice and Consumers is divided into 5 directorates, namely: Directorate A: Civil justice Directorate B: Criminal justice Directorate C: Fundamental rights and Union citizenship Directorate D: Equality Directorate E: Consumers

Zsombor Nagy is a Senior Policy Officer at eu-LISA with legal background. He has 17 years of working experience dealing with legal, policy, IT and operational matters in the EU JHA domain, covering various positions throughout his career. He has been working for the Agency since 2017 and chairing the ECRIS-TCN Advisory Group since its establishment in 2020. In this position he is responsible for fostering business and stakeholder relations with various stakeholders. Additionally, Mr Nagy follows the activities of other justice projects at eu-LISA, such as ECRIS and e-CODEX in particular.

The European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) was established to provide a long-term solution for the operational management of large-scale IT systems. The Agency currently manages Eurodac, the Schengen Information System (SIS) and the Visa Information System (VIS). Further to these, eu-LISA is developing the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information Authorisation System (ETIAS). These systems and the pre-existing ones are being built/adapted to ensure Interoperability – improved access to information stored in EU information systems and identity management at an EU level. In addition, the Agency’s portfolio has been enlarged within the justice domain: with the development of the European Criminal Records Information System – Third-Country Nationals (ECRIS-TCN), the management of e-CODEX and the development of the Collaboration Platform for Joint Investigation Teams (JITs).

Dr. Dirk Staudenmayer is Head of Unit ‘Digital Transition and Judicial training’ at the Directorate-General Justice and Consumers of the European Commission since March 2023. He works at the European Commission since 1994 covering different positions. Until 2010 he worked in the Directorate-General Health and Consumer Protection. In 2003 he became Head of Unit ‘Financial services and redress’. In July 2010, he was appointed Head of Unit ‘Contract law’ at the Directorate-General Justice and Consumers of the European Commission. Dirk Staudenmayer is the author of numerous publications, in particular in European contract, digital, consumer, competition and education law. He is teaching as Honorary Professor at the Law Faculty of the University of Münster (Germany) and at the Institut Catholique de Paris (France).

The Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers is responsible for EU policy on justice, consumer rights and gender equality. The role of the body is to ensure that the whole European Union (EU) is an area of freedom, security and justice. The specific tasks and responsibilities of the DG are laid down by the Treaty of Rome, the Treaty of Amsterdam which came into force on 1 May 1999 and the conclusions of the European Council meeting in Tampere (Finland) in October 1999. As of 2015, the DG Justice and Consumers is divided into 5 directorates, namely: Directorate A: Civil justice Directorate B: Criminal justice Directorate C: Fundamental rights and Union citizenship Directorate D: Equality Directorate E: Consumers

David Ortigosa boasts over a decade of public service within the Ministry of Justice of Spain, where he has played a pivotal role in spearheading numerous digital advancements within the Spanish justice sector. Currently entrusted with the leadership of various transformative initiatives, Mr Ortigosa oversees a portfolio of digital transformation projects at the Ministry of Justice, a responsibility that extends to the management of projects supported by the NextGenerationEU recovery plan.

With a career spanning over three years at the Ministry of Justice of Spain, Óscar Palomo brings a wealth of experience cultivated during his tenure as a business consultant in the private sector. Currently assuming the role of Head of Area, Mr Palomo directs a spectrum of digital transformation projects, encompassing both national initiatives and international projects.

The Directorate General for the Digital Transformation of the Administration of Justice, is the executive body of the General Secretariat for the Innovation and Quality of the Public Justice Service of the Spanish Ministry of Justice. It is responsible for promoting the modernization and digitalization of the Administration of Justice. Its head is Mr Aitor Cube Contreras. Two General Sub-directorates report to this General Directorate: the Sub-directorate General for Planning and Management of Digital Transformation (responsible for planning and managing digital transformation projects in the area of the Administration of Justice); and the Deputy Directorate General for the Development and Implementation of Digital Services (responsible for the functional definition of new digital services or the evolution of existing ones).

João Simão, holds a degree in Computer Engineering and works as Director of the Telecommunications and Informatics Unit of the Judiciary Police (PJ). Responsible for voice interception systems, is responsible for security and communications networks, in PJ. He is a Senior Advisor with responsibilities in the Special Equipment area, and in forensic analysis equipment. Is responsible for E-Evidence node implementation at PJ and put in place MLA and EIO digital procedures. He was Member of the Security Officers Network, in scope of the ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) Reach Regulation He worked for several years as a systems administrator in critical mission environments.

The Polícia Judiciária (PJ; English: Judiciary Police) is the national criminal investigation police agency of Portugal, focused in fighting serious crimes, including homicides, kidnapping, organized crime, terrorism, illegal drug trade, corruption, cybercrime and financial crime. It is integrated into the Ministry of Justice, but operates under the supervision of the Public Ministry.

Mark Dunne is the Head of Digital in The Courts Service of Ireland. He joined the organisation just over two years ago and is heavily involved in the implementation of a ten-year Modernisation programme. Before joining the Courts Service, he worked in the Office of The Government Chief Information Officer for several years and had a role in leading a key pillar of Ireland’s Public Service ICT Strategy. Mark has a Master’s in software engineering and has been working in ICT for over twenty years.

The Courts Service is a statutory body that provides administration and support services to the Courts of the Republic of Ireland. It was established in 1999 by the Courts Service Act 1998 which assigns the Courts Service the following functions: managing the courts; providing support services for the judges; providing information on the courts system to the public; providing, managing and maintaining court buildings; and providing facilities for users of the courts. The Court Service has no function in relation to the actual administration of justice.

Aitor Cubo is the General Director for Digital Transformation of the Administration of Justice since 2020. He holds a Computer Engineering Degree from the Universidad Complutense and a Psychology Degree from UNED. Mr Cubo joined the General State Administration as Senior IT in 2006 and has held several positions in various Ministries since. Furthermore, he was Specialist in Government and Digital Transformation – Citizen Services Innovation Division at the Inter-American Development Bank.

The Ministry of Justice (MJUS) is the department of the Government of Spain responsible for preparing and carrying out the government policy in order to bring the legal system off, specially in criminal, civil, commercial and procedural law affairs, supporting the Administration of Justice and the legal and international cooperation. The MJUS is headed by the Minister of Justice. The Minister is assisted by three main officials, the Secretary of State for Justice, the Under Secretary of Justice and the Secretary-General for Innovation and Quality of the Public Justice Service. The Solicitor General depends from the Minister. The present incumbent is Mrs. Pilar Llop.

Cristian Nicolau (PhD) is the Head of the IT, Document and Knowledge Management Unit of the Directorate General (DG) for Justice and Consumers of the European Commission. His work is dedicated to digitalising the cross-border judicial cooperation instruments. As Information Resource Manager he is responsible for the portfolio of IT systems of DG Justice and Consumers. Before joining the European Institutions, Cristian worked for the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture and as consultant for the World Bank. Published author of books and scientific papers, he has significant experience in eGovernment and with impact assessments.

Team leader e-Justice, Unit JUST.A.1 – Digital transition and judicial training, DG Justice and Consumers, European Commission. He is a lawyer by education and has worked for the European Commission for more than 20 years, including 10 years in the field of consumer and marketing law. His current responsibilities in DG Justice and Consumers relate mainly to various actions to foster the digitalisation of justice. Those activities include: follow-up to the 2020 Communication on the digitalisation of justice in the EU, legislation such as the e-CODEX Regulation (EU) 2022/850, the proposals for a Regulation and Directive on the Digitalisation of judicial cooperation and access to justice, and the preparation of new policy initiatives relating to digitalisation of justice in the EU.

The Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers is responsible for EU policy on justice, consumer rights and gender equality. The role of the body is to ensure that the whole European Union (EU) is an area of freedom, security and justice. The specific tasks and responsibilities of the DG are laid down by the Treaty of Rome, the Treaty of Amsterdam which came into force on 1 May 1999 and the conclusions of the European Council meeting in Tampere (Finland) in October 1999. As of 2015, the DG Justice and Consumers is divided into 5 directorates, namely: Directorate A: Civil justice Directorate B: Criminal justice Directorate C: Fundamental rights and Union citizenship Directorate D: Equality Directorate E: Consumers