20 million ICT specialists by 2030
16 May 2024
09:30 - 17:30
La Nave, Madrid, Spain
In an era of rapid technological evolution, Europe’s competitive edge hinges on its ability to develop and maintain advanced digital skills. Facing a critical shortage of ICT professionals, the “20×30: Europe’s ADS Summit” emerges as a pivotal gathering to propel Europe towards its ambitious goal of adding 20 million new ICT specialists by 2030, underpinning the Digital Decade policy initiative.
This free one-day event in Madrid unites thought leaders from business, academia, and policy-making to chart Europe’s journey in advanced digital skills. Featuring roundtables, keynote speeches, workshops, and showcases of best practices, the summit is a crucible for innovative solutions and strategic collaborations aimed at redefining Europe’s digital skills landscape.
#20x30DigitalSkillsSummit
01
What
to expect
Insights from leaders
Hear from experts across education, research, government, and industry.
Engaging discussions
Participate in debates on ADS trends, challenges, and forecasts.
Research highlights
Discover findings from the LEADS project on ADS supply and demand projections up to 2030
02
Who
should attend
HR professionals
Explore innovative strategies for addressing skills shortages and enhancing workforce capabilities.
Technology specialists
Stay ahead with insights into emerging trends and cutting-edge solutions in digital skills.
Education and training Providers
Learn about the latest tools and methodologies for equipping the workforce with advanced digital skills.
03
AGENDA
We're updating it every week.
- 09:30 - 10:00
- Main Auditorium
Opening Address
Rehana Schwinninger-Ladak
G2 DG CNECT, European Commission
- 10:00 - 11:00
- Main Auditorium
Industry Keynote | Talent under transformation
Brendan Rowan
BluSpecs
Samia Ghozlane
Director General, Grande Ecole de Numerique, Government of France
Jack Hamande
DG Digital Transformation, Belgium Federal Public Service Policy and Support
José Manuel Pingarrón
Secretary General for Universities, Spain
Rehana Schwinninger-Ladak
G2 DG CNECT, European Commission
- 11:00 - 11:30
- Main Auditorium
ADS State-of-Play Report | Insights into talent in 2025
Leonardo Bulgarelli Freitas
IDC
- 11:30 - 12:00
Coffee Break
- 12:00 - 13:00
- Main Auditorium
Stakeholder-led workshops | Scaling Advanced Digital Skills initiatives
Brendan Rowan
BluSpecs
Samia Ghozlane
Director General, Grande Ecole de Numerique, Government of France
Jack Hamande
DG Digital Transformation, Belgium Federal Public Service Policy and Support
José Manuel Pingarrón
Secretary General for Universities, Spain
Rehana Schwinninger-Ladak
G2 DG CNECT, European Commission
- 13:00 - 14:00
Networking Lunch
- 14:00 - 14:30
- Main Auditorium
Panel discussion | Deployment of Data Spaces across Member States
Tanya Suárez
CEO,
BluSpecs
Helen Packard
Data Strategy Office, Financial Conduct Authority UK
Kristen Doran
Global HR Business Partner, SAP
Diogo Santos Franco
Global Ecosystem Strategist, Siemens
Jose Manuel de la Chica
CTO - Santander Universities, Banco Santander
- 14:30 - 15:00
- Main Auditorium
Panel discussion | Development of advanced talent within companies
Brendan Rowan
BluSpecs
Samia Ghozlane
Director General, Grande Ecole de Numerique, Government of France
Jack Hamande
DG Digital Transformation, Belgium Federal Public Service Policy and Support
José Manuel Pingarrón
Secretary General for Universities, Spain
Rehana Schwinninger-Ladak
G2 DG CNECT, European Commission
- 15:00 - 15:30
- Main Auditorium
Round table | The Year Ahead in ADS – Vision 2026
Tanya Suárez
CEO,
BluSpecs
Helen Packard
Data Strategy Office, Financial Conduct Authority UK
Kristen Doran
Global HR Business Partner, SAP
Diogo Santos Franco
Global Ecosystem Strategist, Siemens
Jose Manuel de la Chica
CTO - Santander Universities, Banco Santander
- 15:30 - 16:00
Coffee Break
- 18:00 - 20:00
- Main Auditorium
European Digital Skills Awards 2025
Brendan Rowan
BluSpecs
Samia Ghozlane
Director General, Grande Ecole de Numerique, Government of France
Jack Hamande
DG Digital Transformation, Belgium Federal Public Service Policy and Support
José Manuel Pingarrón
Secretary General for Universities, Spain
Rehana Schwinninger-Ladak
G2 DG CNECT, European Commission
- 20:00
- Main Auditorium
Close
Tanya Suárez
CEO,
BluSpecs
Helen Packard
Data Strategy Office, Financial Conduct Authority UK
Kristen Doran
Global HR Business Partner, SAP
Diogo Santos Franco
Global Ecosystem Strategist, Siemens
Jose Manuel de la Chica
CTO - Santander Universities, Banco Santander
- 13:30 - 15:00
Parallel Sessions
Time
13:30
14:00
14:15
14:30
15:00
- Main Auditorium
Organisational change and the dawn of skills-based profiles
- Na Fu
Professor in HRM, Trinity Business School - Nadya Semenova
Digital Transformation Expert - Kelly Gamble
Head of Communications and Director of Private Equity, SAP - Sofia Platias
Senior International HR Business Partner, Uni Systems - Miguel Valdivieso
Head of Talent and Transformation, IBM
Making the business case for skills investments
- Laurent Muzellac
Dean, Trinity Business School - Alejandra Blázquez
Head of Cisco Networking Academy - Kamil Svec
Global Head of People, Telefonica Tech - Salvatore Moccia
Head of Education and Skills, EIT Digital
Coffee Break
- Tech-Industry Space
The perspectives of industry – acquiring talents in a fast-changing environment
- Ana Garcia Robles
Secretary General, BDVA - Maria S. Perez
Professor, UPM - Araceli Venegas-Gomez
Founder & CEO, QURECA - Michael Barngrover
Managing Director, XR4Europe - Nina Olesen
Head of Sector Skills & Human Factors, ECSO - Daniel Saez
Director of Technology Transfer, ITI - Golboo Pourabdollahian
Consulting Manager, IDC - Kristen Doran
Global HR Business Partner, SAP
Coffee Break
- Future Skills Room
Specialised project showcase
“Cloud-Powered SME Digital Transformation: Empowering European Workforce Together”
by CloudCamp4SMEs
- Irina Frigioiu
Funding Box
Specialised project showcase
“The 20X30 Digital4Business Vision: 20 Key Learnings on Fast Tracking Advanced Digital Skills for SMEs in 30 Minutes”
by Digital4Business
- Horacio González-Vélez
Professor of Computer Systems and Founding Head of The Cloud Competency Centre, National College of Ireland
Specialised project showcase
“Digital Society, Human Values, Global Citizenship”
by EURIDICE
- Anna Bon
Lecturer and Project Coordinator for the EURIDICE project
Coffee Break
15:30
16:15
Leveraging the potential of women to address the advanced digital skills gap
- Stephanie von Behr
CEO, Founderland - Maria Mezher
HR Consultant - Noelia Torres
CEO, Factoría F5 - Mark Jordan
Chief Strategy Officer, Skillnet Ireland
Financial risk and compliance in the age of AI
- Helen Packard
Data Strategy Office, Financial Conduct Authority UK - Javier Tarancón
Head of the Information Analysis and Suptech Division, Bank of Spain - Matteo Falsetta
EU Programme Manager, GFT Technologies
–
Unlocking the power of data: Developing the basis for the 1st European Data Space for Skills
- Daniella Manassero
DIGITALEUROPE - Matthias De Bièvre
Founder / CEO of Visions - Anu Passi-Rauste,
CBO HeadAI - Daniel Alonso
Senior technical lead Data and AI, BDVA
Exploring Gen AI’s Impact on Legal Services
- Teresa Martín
Founding Partner, Mavens - Ciara O’Buachalla
Co-founder, DonnaAI - Giovanni Maria Riccio
Founder, E-lex - Risteard de Paor
Of Counsel, Herbert Smith Freehills
Healthcare and the data revolution
- Ernestina Menasalvas
Professor, UPM - Miguel Angel Sicilia
Director of Data Science, Ramon y Cajal Hospital Madrid - Zheshen Jiang
European Health Project Manager, CHU de Liège - Christoph Thümmler
Chief Medical Officer, 6G Health Institute
13:30 - Main Auditorium
Organisational change and the dawn of skills-based profiles
- Na Fu
Professor in HRM, Trinity Business School - Nadya Semenova
Digital Transformation Expert - Kelly Gamble
EMEA Sales Communications & Corporate Strategy, SAP - Sofia Platias
Senior International HR Business Partner, Uni Systems - Miguel Valdivieso
Head of Talent and Transformation, IBM
13:30 - Tech-Industry Space
The perspectives of industry – acquiring talents in a fast-changing environment
- Ana Garcia Robles
Secretary General, BDVA - Maria S. Perez
Professor, UPM - Araceli Venegas-Gomez
Founder & CEO, QURECA - Michael Barngrover
Managing Director, XR4Europe - Nina Olesen
Head of Sector Skills & Human Factors, ECSO - Daniel Saez
Director of Technology Transfer, ITI - Kristen Doran
Global HR Business Partner, SAP
13:30 - Future Skills Room
Specialised project showcase
“Cloud-Powered SME Digital Transformation: Empowering European Workforce Together”
by CloudCamp4SMEs
- Irina Frigioiu
Funding Box
14:00 - Future Skills Room
Specialised project showcase
“The 20X30 Digital4Business Vision: 20 Key Learnings on Fast Tracking Advanced Digital Skills for SMEs in 30 Minutes”
by Digital4Business
- Horacio González-Vélez
Professor of Computer Systems and Founding Head of The Cloud Competency Centre, National College of Ireland
14:15 - Main Auditorium
Making the business case for skills investments
- Laurent Muzellac
Dean, Trinity Business School - Alejandra Blázquez
Head of Cisco Networking Academy - Kamil Svec
Global Head of People, Telefonica Tech - Salvatore Moccia
Head of Education and Skills, EIT Digital
14:30 - Future Skills Room
Specialised project showcase
“Digital Society, Human Values, Global Citizenship”
by EURIDICE
- Anna Bon
Lecturer and Project Coordinator for the EURIDICE project
15:00 – Coffee Break
15:30 - Main Auditorium
Leveraging the potential of women to address the advanced digital skills gap
- Stephanie von Behr
CEO, Founderland - Maria Mezher
HR Consultant - Noelia Torres
CEO, Factoría F5
15:30 - Tech-Industry Space
Financial risk and compliance in the age of AI
- Helen Packard
Data Strategy Office, Financial Conduct Authority UK - Javier Tarancón
Head of the Information Analysis and Suptech Division, Bank of Spain - Matteo Falsetta
EU Programme Manager, GFT Technologies
16:15 - Main Auditorium
Unlocking the power of data: Developing the basis for the 1st European Data Space for Skills
- Daniella Manassero
DIGITALEUROPE - Matthias De Bièvre
Founder / CEO of Visions - Anu Passi-Rauste,
CBO HeadAI - Daniel Alonso
Senior technical lead Data and AI, BDVA
16:15 - Tech-Industry Space
Exploring Gen AI’s Impact on Legal Services
- Teresa Martín
Founding Partner, Mavens - Ciara O’Buachalla
Co-founder, DonnaAI - Giovanni Maria Riccio
Founder, E-lex - Risteard de Paor
Of Counsel, Herbert Smith Freehills
16:15 - Future Skills Room
Healthcare and the data revolution
- Ernestina Menasalvas
Professor UPM - Miguel Angel Sicilia
Director of Data Science, Ramon y Cajal Hospital Madrid - Zheshen Jiang
European Health Project Manager, CHU de Liège - Christoph Thümmler
Chief Medical Officer, 6G Health Institute
- 18:00