Who we are

We are independent, innovative, multi-disciplinary, non-party political. We fuse bold ideas with civic engagement to accelerate Europe’s response to global challenges.

The Jacques Delors Friends of Europe Foundation is a bold investment in Europe’s future. We connect thinkers, leaders and citizens across borders to deliver innovative, pan-European solutions.

Who we are
Photo: Mirko Kuzmanovic | Shutterstock

Our leadership

We are guided by a Governing Board composed of leading European figures in politics, business, academia and civil society.

Our Governing Board

Jean-Luc <strong>Allavena</strong>
Jean-Luc Allavena

Chairman of Atlantys Investors (in partnership with Apollo Management) and former Chief of Staff of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco

Geert <strong>Cami</strong>
Geert Cami

Co-Founder and Secretary General of Friends of Europe, Co-Founder and Co-Secretary General of the Africa-Europe Foundation

Etienne <strong>Davignon</strong>
Etienne Davignon

President of the Board of Trustees of Friends of Europe and President of Europe Jacques Delors, former Vice-President of the European Commission, former Chairman of Société Générale

Isabelle <strong>Durant</strong>
Isabelle Durant

President of the Governing Board of Friends of Europe, former Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and former deputy Secretary General of UNCTAD

Arancha <strong>González</strong>
Arancha González

Dean of PSIA (Ecole des Affaires internationales), Sciences Po, former Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs

Thomas <strong>Leysen</strong>
Thomas Leysen

Chairman of Umicore, Mediahuis and DSM-Firmenich, and former President of the King Baudouin Foundation

Kolinda <strong>Grabar-Kitarovic</strong>
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic

Former President of Croatia

Johannes <strong>Huth</strong>
Johannes Huth

CEO of GBL, Former Chairman of Invest Europe, former Chairman of KKR

Ilham <strong>Kadri</strong>
Ilham Kadri

Special Advisor to the CEO of Syensqo and Temasek, Chair of World Business Council for Sustainable Development

Pascal <strong>Lamy</strong>
Pascal Lamy

Coordinator of the Jacques Delors Think Tanks, former Chief of Staff to Jacques Delors, former WTO Director-General, former CEO of Crédit Lyonnais, former European Commissioner for Trade

Enrico <strong>Letta</strong>
Enrico Letta

President of Institut Jacques Delors, former Prime Minister of Italy and Author of the Letta report on the future of the Single Market

Cornelia <strong>Woll</strong>
Cornelia Woll

President of Hertie School Berlin

Team

Ulrike Sapiro

Managing Director

As Managing Director of the Jacques Delors Friends of Europe Foundation, Ulrike is responsible for developing an integrated approach across the work of the Jacques Delors Institutes and Friends of Europe. She supports the implementation and operationalisation of the Foundation’s strategy, strengthening advocacy, citizen engagement, and collective impact across multiple European capitals. Ulrike comes from the private sector, most recently serving as Chief Sustainability Officer at Henkel AG, where she led a team of 50, reporting to the Executive Management Team and shaping strategy, business integration, data systems and reporting. Her previous roles include international positions at The Coca-Cola Company and RWE Thames Water across various European locations. She also brings extensive experience in European and global policy, having engaged on topics such as public-private partnerships, climate and energy transition, circular economy, and human rights. Ulrike is a German national and is based in Brussels.

Team

Our entities

The Foundation unites Friends of Europe and the Jacques Delors Institutes in Paris, Brussels and Berlin. Together, we form a pan-European hub bringing over 25 years of top-tier convenings, public outreach, and policy innovation.

The Foundation unites

Join us
Your support is more than philanthropy: it is an investment in Europe’s future. Join us. Help us build the enduring engine for a stronger Europe that can continue to play its part in the global architecture.