Jose Luis Elejalde, Industrial Engineer, specialising in Energy Techniques, from the ETSII in Bilbao.

He holds an MBA from the University of the Basque Country and previously an MBA from the CEREM Business School in Madrid.

He is currently Director of the Energy, Climate and Urban Transition Unit at Tecnalia, reporting to the General Management, which comprises the Construction, Energy and Environment activities of the centre, with a team of 450 people and a turnover of around €45 million.

The Unit focuses on the development of technologies related to the climate challenge: from new energy generation systems to the design of new territories and cities, including electricity grids, hydrogen, meteorology and climate, etc.

The responsibility of the Unit's management encompasses all strategic, commercial and production aspects, people management and overall responsibility for the Unit's profit and loss account.

Previously, he was Director of Tecnalia's Technological Services Division, a Division with a team of 210 people and made up of 6 business areas (Construction, Electrical Energy, Materials, Health, Smart Services, Sustainability). The Division is also responsible for the management of four companies in which Tecnalia has a total or partial shareholding.

The Division Management's responsibility includes all strategic, commercial, production, people management and quality management and accreditations, with the Division's strategy being focused on the following 4 points:

- Implementation of effective commercial dynamics

- Launch of new services with high added value

- Creation of shared businesses with external partners (creation of SL, AIE, Joint Ventures, ...)

- Improvement of the internal productivity of our activities

Before that, he was Director of Construction Services at Tecnalia /Ventures (2010-2011), managing a team of almost 100 people working in the field of technical services for the construction sector, as well as being responsible for the income statement of this business unit.

He combined this position with activities related to the promotion of new business opportunities within Tecnalia, as well as those related to attracting clients, customer loyalty and international development (especially in South America) were the most important activities during this period. In Ventures, he collaborated in the orientation of new technological assets towards their valorisation as new companies.

He has also been Director of Tecnalia E+C (2005-2009), a project that brought together the experimental capacities and technological services of Tecnalia's different business units; Managing Director of SOCAP (2000-2005), an industrial SME dedicated to the design, manufacture, marketing and installation of capital goods, his functions being similar to his current position; Project Manager at SENER (1996-2000).

He has extensive experience in dealing with customers, suppliers and public institutions, in Team Management and in the Development of new business and product lines, as well as in the implementation of Strategic Plans.