Joaquín Avilés López
With over 20 years of experience in infrastructure planning, project development, and Public-Private Partnerships, he served as Director of Operations of the Millennium Villages, a global partnership between Millennium Promise, The Earth Institute at Columbia University and the United Nations, managing a portfolio of 100+ Infrastructure Projects in the areas of, energy, connectivity, water and mobility across sub-Saharan Africa.
CEO of i4SD (Infrastructure for Sustainable Development), a social enterprise that designs, builds, and operates high-quality infrastructure solutions for sustainable development.
With an extensive trajectory in the International Public Sector, and has also experience in the Private Sector where he has managed the execution of several infrastructure projects. Before founding i4SD, Joaquin led the planning and operations at P3 Global Management, a global smart city infrastructure company, delivering innovative solutions to help cities become more sustainable and resilient. Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Granada in Spain, and a MSc in International and Public Affairs from the New School in New York.
María García Pizarro
Passionate about doing things right with empathy and exercising collaborative and distributive leadership in which we all contribute, and together we are more.
Secretary General of the Ibero-American Union of Municipalists - UIM.
Advisor to the International Development Cooperation Committee of the Spanish Congress of Deputies in the process of updating the Regulatory Framework and the International Development Cooperation System of the Government of Spain.
Member of the Advisory Council of the Latin American Federation of Cities, Municipalities, and Associations of Local Governments (FLACMA).
Member of the European and Latin American Experts Team, Quality of Urban and Territorial Planning according to the parameters of the Global Agenda and the 17 SDGs.
Member of the evaluation team of the Corporate Responsibility Program. Cooperantes CAIXA of the CAIXA BANK FOUNDATION in partnership with the TELEFÓNICA FOUNDATION.
Member of the Ibero-American Governance for Sustainability Laboratory. International University of Andalusia and the University of Huelva.
Member of the Sustainable Development Goals Classroom at the University of Granada with the participation of the GRANADA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, COVIRÁN FOUNDATION, AND CAIXABANK.
Collaborating Expert of the D'ALEPH BUSINESS GROUP managing Urban Agendas, Sustainable Urban and Territorial Development Strategies, and Local Economic Development Plans with a multilevel focus and fostering public-private partnerships.
José Antonio González Morales
Graduate in Economics and Business Sciences from the University of Granada. Senior Executive Program at ESADE (Madrid) and Executive Program, Innovative Management & Corporate at Babson College (Boston, USA).
He has developed a long professional career of more than 30 years in the financial system, Caja Granada, BMN, Bankia and Caixabank. During this period he has been director of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) area of BMN.
He also has academic experience as an Associate Professor in the Department of Business Organization at the University of Granada, and is currently a professor at EIG and ESIC Business and Marketing School (Spain), being academic director of the EIG Business Management Program.
Raquel Paiz Robles
With more than 25 years of experience in corporate and institutional communication, Sustainability and CSR, she is Director of Communications, CSR and Public Affairs. Her career is linked to conscious and strategic leadership, transformation and positive impact.
She began her career at CajaGRANADA, where she specialized in corporate communication (external and internal) in the financial, social and cultural fields. Over the years, she has contributed to defining and implementing strategies in different organizations. Currently, she is responsible for communication and strategy for key global and international initiatives such as StepbyWater, a multi-sector alliance for water.
Convinced that the time is now, she believes that it is time to do what is said and say what is done. Sustainability and regeneration are not the goal, they are the path. Her vision and experience in the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs reinforce her conviction that sustainable strategic management is key to business and social viability, and that its communication is essential to generate real impact.
Graduated as a journalist and communicator by vocation, she collaborates with different media and outreach spaces, as well as providing training in sustainability, regeneration and communication in institutions such as the Federación Andaluza de Municipios y Provincias or the la University of Jaén. A mindfulness instructor and specialist in grief and addictions, she combines her professional work with literary and poetic creation, being the author of the poetry collection "Conversaciones en la azotea" (Olé Libros, 2022).
José Luis Rosúa Campos
Full Professor at the University of Granada in the field of Environmental Technologies, he teaches Environmental Impact Assessment of Projects in the Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Sciences.
From its creation in 1995 to 2023, he has been the director of this UNESCO Chair, expanding its scope of action especially in Latin American countries, where he has managed various cooperation projects in the environmental and sustainability sector. He has also been instrumental in rural development in nearby local areas, such as the Alpujarra region, where he has developed projects, held conferences, and published publications to support residents and local governments in combating depopulation and training active stakeholders as human resources.
With extensive experience directing various UGR Master's programs related to the Environment, Landscaping, Management, and International Cooperation, he has promoted the collaboration of this Chair in the creation of the current UGR Master's in Sustainability and Environmental Governance, as a means of incorporating ESG references into economic development perspectives.
His CV includes a diverse range of experience, including as an adjunct advisor at ARIUSA, president of CEDECA, coordinator of the UGR Degree in Environmental Sciences, a frequent contributor to the media on issues related to the Environment and Sustainable Development, and coordinator and author of numerous public and private projects in various fields of Environmental Management.
Chesco (Francisco) Serrano Bernardo
He is an Associate Professor at the University of Granada in the field of Environmental Technologies, teaching courses related to Environmental Impact Assessment, project organization and management, environmental management, and sustainability, primarily in the Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Sciences and postgraduate programs.
From 2005 to 2023, he served as Secretary of this Chair, actively participating in its academic and institutional activities and collaborating closely with the Chair's management in organizing courses, seminars, conferences, and outreach activities. He has been involved in the development of projects related to the environment, sustainability, and international cooperation.
His affiliation with the Chair has allowed him to contribute to strengthening relationships with Latin American universities and institutions, as well as promoting initiatives in nearby regions, particularly in the areas of rural development, local environmental management, and providing technical support to government agencies and social stakeholders.
This career is complemented by extensive experience in teaching, research and university management (in positions such as the presidency of the Spanish Conference of Deans in Environmental Sciences, the coordination of this Degree at the UGR or member of the ARIUSA Network, among others), and a continuous involvement in projects and networks focused on sustainability and environmental governance.
