Breakthrough innovations, leadership and talent shaping Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem

Jimena García-Romeu Núñez is a distinguished executive whose career embodies the rare fusion of technical mastery and strategic vision. A Telecommunications Engineer from the prestigious Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, she further honed her leadership through elite programs including UCLA’s W50 and an Executive MBA at EOI. Her illustrious career across business development, marketing, and strategy has spanned some of the worlds most influential corporations: Freenow, Telefónica, Huaweai, Microsoft, and Vodafone. Since 2019, as CEO of Alcyon Photonics, she has driven the company’s commercialisation and scaling with vision and precision, navigating complex industry landscapes with exceptional acumen to seize emerging opportunities.

Bodil Holst is a Danish-Norwegian physicist known for her work on nanoscale imaging, 2D material characterisation, and mask-based lithography using molecular beams. She is co-founder and CEO of Lace Lithography and an affiliated professor of Nanophysics in the Department of Physics and Technology at the University of Bergen, Norway. She chaired the Kavli Prize Committee in Nanoscience from 2019 to 2024 and has coordinated several EU collaborative research projects, bringing extensive expertise in R&D, nanotechnology, instrument development, microscopy, and materials science. She holds a Master's degree in Physics and Mathematics from the University of Copenhagen, a PhD in Experimental Physics from the University of Cambridge, and an Executive Master of Management, with coursework in global innovation management, project management, finance, and management, from BI Norwegian Business School.

Françoise Chombar is Chairwoman and co-founder of Melexis. She served as the CEO of Melexis for 18 years (from 2003 to 2021). She is currently a member of the Board of Soitec, Antwerp Management School and Mediafin and as investor in some start-ups / scale-ups. She has served as president of the STEM-platform for a decade (until September 2025) and continues to be an active member. The STEM-platform, an advisory board to the Flemish government, aims to encourage young people to pursue a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics education and to promote STEM to the broader public as a conduit towards more prosperity and well-being. Françoise Chombar’s long-term commitment to actively advocating more STEM and diversity and inclusion is driven by her profound belief in their positive societal impact.

Dr. Erja Turunen is the executive vice president of one of VTT’s two business units: Digital systems. As the leader of the unit, Erja’s work involves strategic planning, engaging stakeholders and representing VTT in different organisations. Erja is also a member of VTT’s executive committee. Erja’s current responsibility area is Digital systems covering microelectronics, quantum, flexible electronics, sensing solutions, physical AI, connectivity and cyber security. Prior to her current role, she used to work as vice president in two different excellence areas at VTT. Turunen is also a respected researcher herself. She began her career at the Tampere University of Technology followed by Aalto and has done her PhD from material science. Erja has been at VTT over 25 years and has held various management positions for more than 20 years. Erja has been a member for multiple European initiatives and networks. Currently she is active in BoD’s for Kvanttinova Oy, Tamlink Oy and Enter Espoo Oy.