Foundation Forum: Speakers A-D

Bertie Ahern

Bertie Ahern was born in Dublin in 1951 and educated at University College Dublin. His political career began in 1977 with his election to the Irish parliament, Dáil Eireann. He was appointed party spokesperson for youth for his party, Fianna Fáil, in 1981 and served as vice-president of the party from 1983 to 94. He was Lord Mayor of Dublin 1986-87. He negotiated on behalf of the government for the Programme for National Recovery in 1987, the Programme for Economic and Social Progress in 1990, and was involved in the Programme for Competitiveness and Work in 1994. His ministerial posts include Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and Defence (1982), Minister of Labour (1987 and 1989) and Minister for Finance (three times, from 1991). Unanimously elected leader of the Fianna Fáil Party in 1994, Mr Ahern was elected Taoiseach on 26 June, 1997.

Giampiero Alhadeff

Giampiero Alhadeff was born in 1947 and is of British nationality. He has been president of the Platform of European Social NGOs since 1999. After completing a degree in sociology at Exeter University, he first pursued a teaching career, before becoming director of City Roads (drugs crisis intervention) in 1982. He was director of War on Want, the UK-based organisation against global poverty, from 1990 to 1995, and was subsequently appointed secretary general of Solidar, the international alliance of NGOs involved in social service provision, international cooperation, humanitarian aid and lifelong learning. Mr Alhadeff is a member of the World Economic Forum advisory committee and a trustee of Sunstar Foundation, Osaka.

Susan Anderson

Susan Anderson is director of human resources policy at the Confederation of British Industry. She studied English at Loughborough University and later took an MSc in social policy and planning at the London School of Economics. She started a career in retail management before joining the CBI, where she worked on pension policy and health and safety policy. In 1995 she was appointed head of employee resourcing and in 2000 became director of human resources policy, where she is responsible for education and training issues, pay and benefits, employee rights and relations and social Europe. Ms Anderson is also a member of the social affairs committee of Unice and has served as CBI negotiator during the social partner negotiations leading to the directives on part-time and fixed term work.

Rudolf Anzinger

Rudolf Anzinger was born in Windecken, Germany, in 1952. He studied law at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main. After his graduation, he began his career as a civil servant with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. In April 2002 he was appointed state secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, where he is responsible for labour market policy, labour law and industrial health and safety standards, as well as European and international social policy. Prior to his current position, Mr Anzinger was involved in drafting working time legislation in 1994 and became head of management and the cabinet in 1998. Since July 2001 he has also directed the department of management and strategy, media and public relations.

Nicholas Ashford

Nicholas A. Ashford is professor of technology and policy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He holds both a PhD in chemistry and a law degree from the University of Chicago, where he also received graduate education in economics. Dr Ashford is a faculty associate of the Center for Technology, Policy and Industrial Development in the School of Engineering; the Institute for Work and Employment Research in the Sloan School of Management; and the environmental policy group in the Urban Studies Department. He also holds adjunct faculty positions at the Harvard and Boston University Schools of Public Health. Dr Ashford's research activities include work for the United Nations environment programme, the OECD, and the European Union, as well as for US regulatory agencies and the US Office of Technology Assessment.

Raymond-Pierre Bodin

Born in France in 1948, Raymond-Pierre Bodin (Ph D sociology) began his career in 1969 at the Ministry of Labour, first as researcher, then as official representative. From 1974 to 1989, he was professor of social psychology and sociology of labour at the Pierre Mendès-France University in Grenoble. In 1989, Mr Bodin became managing director of the plastics company Eurotec Manducher (Klöckner Group), then human resources director of Klöckner Automotive, a post he held until 1996. He was senior vice-president of human resources at Rhône-Poulenc Rorer (the company became Aventis Pharma in January 2000) from 1996 to 2000. Currently director of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Raymond-Pierre Bodin is also chair of the Agence Nationale pour l'Emploi (France), as well as international expert at the International Labour Office.

Marc Boisnel

Marc Boisnel is director in charge of working conditions at the Ministry for Employment and Solidarity. He graduated from the French École Nationale d'Administration (ENA) in 1984 and began his political career as principal private secretary in the department of working conditions. From 1989 to 1993 he was social affairs adviser at the permanent representation of France to the European Communities. Currently Marc Boisnel is chair of the administrative board of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, a member of the administrative board of the European Agency for Safety and Health at work and a member of the European consultative committee on safety, hygiene and health at work.

Theo Bouwman

Theodorus JJ Bouwman, an industrial engineer, was born in Amsterdam in 1947. Following his studies, he worked as a lecturer in politics and economics in Breda (1973-76), as a researcher with SOBE (Electrotechnical Industry Research Foundation) in Eindhoven (1973-84) and as a lecturer in politics, economics and information technology in Amsterdam (1977-88). From 1985 to 1999 he was partner/consultant of STZ consultancy. Theo Bouwman is a Member of the European Parliament (Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance) and chair of the Parliament's employment and social affairs committee. He is also chair and member of the committee of the Toverfluit children's day care centre, and a member of the board of VJV (Educational Work for Young Adults), Eindhoven.

Friederich Buttler

Born in Bodenwerder/Weser, Germany, in 1941, Friederich Buttler was professor of economics at Paderborn University from 1973 to 1987, where his research activities centred around regional economics, public finance and labour economics. During this time, he served as Rektor (president) of Paderborn University 1976-87. In 1988 he was appointed director of the Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- and Berufsforschung (Institute for Employment Research), affiliated to the German Federal Employment Office, and in 1994 became State Secretary at the Ministry for Higher Education, Research and Culture. He acceded to his present position as ILO Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia in May 2001.

John Bruton

John Bruton was born in Dublin in 1947. He has a BA in economics and politics and is a barrister-at-law. His political career began in 1969 when he was elected a member of the Irish parliament. He served as parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Education 1973-75 and to the Minister for Industry and Commerce 1975-1977. From 1982 to 1987 while his party, Fine Gael, held government office, he held several ministerial positions, including industry, trade, commerce and tourism, finance and the public service. Leader of Fine Gael 1990-2001, he served as Prime Minister of Ireland from 1994 to 1997. Mr Bruton is currently vice-president of the European People's Party and a member of the Joint Committee on European Affairs.

Walter Cerfeda

Walter Cerfeda was born in Bari in 1947. On completion of his studies in 1970, he began working at the Viscosuisse chemical company in Luzern, Switzerland, where in 1971 he was elected a member of the shop committee and in 1972 local secretary for the USS (Canton of Lucerne). From 1973 to 1975, he was in charge of the office for the free movement of workers within the International Department of the CGIL and from 1978 to 1980 served as deputy director of the national trade union training centre. Deputy general secretary of the Piemont CGIL in 1980-85, he was elected national secretary of the Metal and Engineering Workers Federation (FIOM) in 1985 and in 1988 became deputy general secretary. From 1991 to 1993 he was in charge of the bargaining policies department at CGIL headquarters. Appointed national secretary of CGIL in 1993, in 2002 Mr Cerfeda became head of the CGIL European Secretariat

João Cravinho

João Cravinho is President of CEEP (European Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation and of Enterprises of General Economic Interest). A graduate of civil engineering, he received a degree in industrial dynamics from MIT, a master's degree in economics from Yale University and pursued postgraduate studies in economics at Oxford University. He started his scientific career as a technician in INII, the Portuguese national institute for industrial research, in 1961, then became responsible from 1965-79 for the industry sector in the technical secretariat of the Council of Ministers, and director of the planning office of the secretary of state for industry 1970-73. He has served as chair and consultant on many national and international scientific committees during the 1980s and 1990s, while at the same time following a political career as member of parliament in Portugal, Minister of industry and technology and of planning and regional administration and deputy-chair of the European Parliament. Mr Cravinho is currently a member of the Reflection Group nominated by Commissioner Barnier for the cohesion Policy after 2006.

Anna Diamantopoulou

Anna Diamantopoulou is a graduate in civil engineering of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a holder of a master's degree in regional development from the Panteion University of Athens. During her student years she was involved in the student movement and has been an active member of the Panhellenic Socialist Party since 1976. She began her political career in the Greek administration at the age of 26, as prefect for Kastoria, and later became secretary-general for adult education and secretary-general for youth. In 1993 she was appointed president of the Hellenic organisation for small and medium-sized undertakings and handicrafts and in 1994 she became secretary-general for industry. Following her election as Member of Parliament for Kozani in 1996, she was appointed Deputy Minister for Development with responsibility for the industry portfolio. In September 1999, she was appointed Member of the European Commission responsible for Employment and Social Affairs.

Katie Dickson

Katie Dickson was born in 1982. She is a student of English and Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin.

Vlado Dimovski

Vlado Dimovski was born in Postojna, Slovenia, in 1960. He holds a BA in economics (1984) and in philosophy (1989), and a MSc in economics (1988) from the University of Ljubljana. In 1994 he was awarded a PhD in business administration by Cleveland State University (his thesis was entitled 'Organisational learning and competitive advantage: a theoretical and empirical analysis'). Assistant professor at the University of Ljubljana from 1984 to 1990, he was appointed research fellow at Cleveland State University from 1990 to 1995. In 1995 he became an associate professor at the University of Ljubljana and state secretary for Industry at the Ministry for Economic Affairs. In 1997 Dr Dimovski was appointed president of the Centre for International Competitiveness. Since December 2000 he has been head of the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs.

[Speakers E-L] [Speakers M-Z]