BIC team

Dirk Carrez

Executive Director

Dirk Carrez

Executive Director

Dirk is a bioengineer and holds a PhD in Agricultural Sciences. He has worked at SOLVAY in the research department, at the Belgian Federation for the Life Sciences and Chemical Industry as Director Innovation & Product Policy and as Secretary-general of the Belgian Biotechnology Industry Association. Read more>>>

Nelo Emerencia

Human Capital & Stakeholder Relations

Nelo Emerencia

Human Capital & Stakeholder Relations

Nelo's tasks at BIC include Programming and the Human Capital Agenda. He coordinates the Programming Working Group (all industry members), Programming Core Team (selected industry members), Associated Members Working Group (all associate members) and Education Team (selected industry and associated members). Read more>>>

Marco Rupp

Public Affairs & Sustainability

Marco Rupp

Public Affairs & Sustainability

Marco manages public affairs and sustainability activities at BIC. He graduated as economist. Marco has over 20 years of private and public sector expertise in various management functions. He is a member of several expert groups and advisory boards in the field of the bioeconomy. Marco coordinates the Public Affairs Working Group.

Sophia De Smet

Communications Manager

Sophia De Smet

Communications Manager

Sophia is a British communications specialist and has 15 years of experience as a journalist, editor and communications manager in the UK, France, Latvia and Belgium. She has worked directly and indirectly for the European Commission (DG MARE) and NATO in communications-related roles. Read more>>>

Patricia Vanderplasschen

Finance & Administration Officer

Patricia Vanderplasschen

Finance & Administration Officer

Patricia is responsible for BIC’s general administration, accounting & finances, conference co-ordination & contacts with the membership and maintenance of the members’ database. She can be contacted in English, Dutch, French and German. Read more>>>

Samuele Ambrosetti

Innovation & Programming

Samuele Ambrosetti

Innovation & Programming

Samuele is an expert in EU R&I programmes and a contributor to the ISO 56000 family of standards. In his former role as a consultant, he supported several national and EU-wide industrial clusters and associations to develop and implement SRIAs, roadmaps and R&I programmes. Within BIC, he is responsible for programming, including in relation to the CBE JU AWPS, and for innovation brokerage and technology transfer activities.