Organization

Andrés Llombart is General Director of CIRCE since April 2016. His professional career has always been linked to the energy sector, and his vision focused on bringing the field of research closer to the business world. Aware of the importance of the internationalization of R&D&I, he promoted the Innovation and Promotion Unit, created by him in May 2009, and the CIRCE Delegation in Brussels, which have allowed the center to increase its presence in Europe and become an international benchmark in the energy sector.

Andrés Llombart has made an important contribution to the scientific field, having participated in more than 35 R+D+i projects, being the principal investigator in most of them, as well as in the development of several patents. He has also published multiple articles in journals and participated in international congresses, as well as in forums and platforms on behalf of the CIRCE team. All this experience led him to be appointed in 2011 by the Ministry of Science and Innovation as an expert in the Energy Committee of the 7th R&D Framework Program of the European Union, being in charge of the coordination of electrical networks issues.

In CIRCE he has also served as Deputy Director, as well as Director of the Electrical Division, contributing not only in scientific but also in organizational and management issues, to promote a more competitive and versatile CIRCE team.

Andrés Llombart is an Industrial Engineer from the Higher Polytechnic Center of the University of Zaragoza, where he specialized in the reduction of the impact of electronic sources on the network. This research allowed him to obtain a PhD in Industrial Engineering (specializing in Electrical Engineering) from the University of Zaragoza in 2000.

He also has an outstanding academic vocation, having taught between 1994 and 2001 classes related to circuit theory, wind energy or the integration of renewable energies, as an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Zaragoza. In addition, he has been Chairman of the Steering Committee of the European Master in Renewable Energies in which 10 universities participate and coordinated by the European Association of Renewable Energy Research Centers (EUREC).

Elena Calvo is Deputy Director General of CIRCE since 2020. Her professional and academic career has been developed in the triangle Innovation Management - Energy Sector - European Union. Her strategic focus on the internationalization of R&D&I has led CIRCE to increase its presence in Europe and position itself as an international benchmark in the energy field. Likewise, he has managed to deploy strategies, structures and processes to achieve sustained growth of the center without relying on non-competitive funds.

His career at CIRCE began in 2006 in the field of research, although he soon played various roles in the organization, with a focus on Innovation Management and European Union. Between 2009 and 2018, she led the Internationalization and Promotion Unit, developing the internationalization strategy and coordinating CIRCE's participation in R&D programs such as FP7 and H2020. In 2018, she assumed the leadership of the Innovation Management Unit, driving the integration of the center's corporate units. Since 2020, Elena has worked on optimizing the structure, improving processes and internal management of CIRCE, fostering technology transfer through a business-oriented approach (B2B).

An Industrial Engineer from the University of Zaragoza, Elena has a solid background in management and leadership, having completed programs such as the Executive Development Program (IESE), the "Judgement and Decision Making for Management" (London School of Economics and Political Science), the Postgraduate in Management of International and Community R&D&I Projects and Actions (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) and the Master in European Communities and European Union (Real Instituto de Estudios Europeos).

Her doctoral thesis, "Networks and Innovation Systems in the Energy Sector", provides valuable knowledge in the field of innovation in the European energy sector. In addition, Elena collaborates in several European projects of the Horizon 2020 program, contributing to the analysis of the innovation system in which they operate, and is an evaluator for the European Commission in programs such as Horizon Europe and Eurostars-Eureka.

Eduardo Cembrano is Director of the Industry and Energy Area, where he leads a team that seeks to develop innovative solutions to improve the competitiveness of companies in the field of sustainability, resource efficiency and renewable energies, especially focused on the industrial sector.

He is a Technical Engineer in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Zaragoza, and his professional career has been closely linked to the energy sector in industrial environments within the framework of innovation. He has experience in sectors such as agri-food, paper, petrochemical and renewable energy, having worked in the field of large companies, SMEs and technology centers.

Prior to his incorporation, he worked in the quality and R&D department of Compañía Logística de Hidrocarburos (CLH), where he was responsible for maintaining the technical competence of the laboratory, as well as participating in national and European projects where technological solutions were developed in the fuel and biofuels sector.

Later in 2014 he joined the CIRCE team, where he has played the role of project manager, responsible for the planning and project management section, and finally Director of the Industry and Energy Area.

Samuel Borroy is Director of the Electrical Systems Area, whose technological offer responds comprehensively to the needs and challenges of the electricity sector in the areas of generation, transmission, distribution and use of electrical energy, under the paradigm of its evolution towards sustainable and intelligent systems.

His professional career has been linked to the electricity sector since its inception. After an initial period at CIRCE involved in R+D+i developments related to the protection of electricity transmission and distribution networks, he joined the team of Red Eléctrica de España (REE), as part of the Network Security and Analysis department to contribute to the objective of guaranteeing the security of the electricity system. He later returned to CIRCE as head of the Grid Protections and Automation team in the Power Electrical Systems area. Since 2015 he is Area Manager at CIRCE.

He is an Industrial Engineer from the University of Zaragoza, has the Diploma of Advanced Studies and is in the process of completing his doctoral thesis. His training is specifically complemented with technical, managerial and management programs. 

Sara Olivera is the Director of the People and Finance Unit, since 2018 she leads the People and Talent, Finance, Administration and Legal Service teams at CIRCE.

She holds a degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Zaragoza and a Master in Auditing and Management Development, and her professional career has been linked to the analysis and management of organizations.

Prior to her incorporation, she worked as an auditor in the firm Deloitte, being in charge of the analysis of the financial statements of companies and verification of their true and fair view, specializing in sectors such as automotive, viticulture, textile,...

In 2012, she joined the CIRCE team where she dedicated her first 5 years to the administrative, financial and legal management of CIRCE's public projects providing service internally and to project partners.  Subsequently, she held the position of Head of Project Planning and Justification, a position prior to her current position.

David Rodríguez is Director of the Funding and Transfer Unit, where he coordinates CIRCE's participation strategy in competitive public funding projects. This Unit covers the entire life cycle of these projects, including the positioning in associations, forums and sectorial platforms, the preparation of proposals and the technical and administrative management of the awarded initiatives.

He holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Zaragoza and a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of La Rioja. He has developed his professional career in CIRCE, where he has held various positions related to public programs until becoming Director of the Unit. In addition, he has complemented his engineering studies with specializations in the field of public programs, such as the Expert in Promotion and Management of International R&D&I Projects and Actions at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, or in the field of management and leadership, such as the Management Development Program at IESE.

Jose Luis Vadillo is Director of the Systems Unit, which includes the IT, Prevention, Quality and Sustainability, Infrastructure and Purchasing departments.

Industrial Engineer by the University of Zaragoza, he has worked as production and quality manager in the automotive auxiliary industry and as head of wind farm installations in VESTAS.

To his professional experience he has added training in foreign trade, Negotiation (London School of Economics and Political Science) and the Master in European Communities and European Union (Real Instituto de Estudios Europeos).

Since 2009 he has been part of CIRCE, where he has been European project manager, as well as responsible for the planning and project management section.