Executive Committee

The Executive Committee of the European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) consists of at least 5 and at most 15 members who conduct at least two executive committee meetings a year. Together with the secretariat general it is responsible for strategic and operative duties. The general assembly elects the Executive Committee to serve for three years.

Mr. Fojkar is the president of the European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB). He began his professional journey at the Bundeswehr University in Munich, earning a degree in education. His career took a pivotal turn in 1988 when he became the Managing Director of the Bildungswerk der Baden-Württembergischen Wirtschaft, an institute serving the economic sector of Baden-Württemberg.

In 2009, Mr. Fojkar joined the Internationaler Bund (IB) as a member of its Board of Directors. In 2013, he was appointed CEO, overseeing the IB Group’s political representation, strategic orientation, corporate organization, quality management, and corporate communications.

Alongside his professional career, Mr. Fojkar actively engages in several honorary roles. He serves as chairman of the Federal Association of Vocational Training Providers (BBB), is a member of the Presidium of Europa-Union Germany (EUD), and holds a board position with the European Movement Germany (EBD). Additionally, he is a member of the Executive Committee of the German Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, with a focus on education.

Dr. Segard serves as the Vice President and is responsible for European Affairs at EVBB. She is recognized as an expert and advisor on the European Platform for VET Associations Vocational Education and Training. Dr. Segard brings a wealth of experience from her roles at the EU level and in Portugal, where she directed the ISQ Academy. Her responsibilities there included delivering tailor-made training solutions for companies, establishing Corporate Academies for big companies, managing international and European projects, designing training products, and spearheading innovation in VET solutions and skills for the future, focusing on Digital Transformation 4.0 and the Green transition.

Throughout her career, Dr. Segard has coordinated projects and contributed her expertise in over 35 countries across Europe, Africa, and Asia, focusing on capacity building and training in various sectors, including corporate social responsibility (CSR). She has also served as a consultant and project leader in the development of innovative training services in technological areas, aimed at creating “high-performance work,” enhancing “employment, better jobs, and more inclusion,” and supporting the development of young people.

Mr. Rodopoulos serves as Vice President at EVBB. His educational experience includes completing his B.A. in Economics and later earned an MBA in Management and Marketing from New York University in 1978. He is the founder and President of the AKMI Group of companies, which encompasses various educational and consulting services. Specifically, he serves as the President of Metropolitan College and the Managing Director of both the AKMI Vocational Training Centre and EEO GROUP S.A. Management Consulting. Additionally, he co-founded the AKMI Institute of Vocational Training, a leading private organization in education and training across Greece, with locations in Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Crete, Larissa, and Rhodes, as well as Metropolitan College in Athens, Marousi, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Larissa, and Rhodes. He boasts over 35 years of professional experience in management, marketing, financing, human resources management, training, and managing EU-level programs.

Moreover, Mr. Rodopoulos has held significant advisory roles, serving as an Economic Advisor at the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) from 1978 to 1984 and as an Expert in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) during the same period, focusing on economic and social policy. He also worked as an Executive Consultant at the Hellenic Manpower Organisation (OAED) from 1982 to 1985, the Social Insurance Institute (IKA) from 1985 to 1987, and served on the Board of Directors at Geniki Bank from 1985 to 1989, specializing in human resource issues. Mr. Rodopoulos has co-authored several studies and scientific articles addressing labor market issues, employment/unemployment, insurance, and policy-making in human resource development.

Mr. Marek Nikel was born in the village of Bacuch in Slovakia, married and has three sons. After graduating from the Grammar School, he graduated from high school with a department of business management graduated from Warsaw Management University and obtained an MBA until 2002 he worked for the non-profit sector as a project manager for regional development and rural areas since 2002 procurator and project manager of Euro-Projektservis.

He is currently a representative of the Europäische Bildungswerke für Beruf und Gesellschaft in Slovakia, chairman of the board of Deutsch-Slowakische Akademien a.s. Both companies are the founders of private schools in Slovakia. Schools are for children from 2 years to 18 years. are the most prominent private founders in Slovakia with more than 3,000 students and more than 350 employees. It focuses on vocational training at the national level. He’s a member of the regional council for vocational education and a member of the Board of the Slovak Chamber of Commerce.

In his spare time, he enjoys both winter and summer sports activities.

Dr. Christophe Sadok is Head Director of Engineering for VET and vocational qualifications at Afpa (national Agency for adult vocational training) in France. In close collaboration with the French government representatives, he defines each year the internal strategy and work plan directly related to National public service missions. He also manages several departments of experts teams working on the qualification and certification policy of the Ministry of Labor and supporting the French and the EU policy orientations for VET and qualifications by designing and implementing occupational standards, training and certification programmes, developing surveys on emergent skills and foresight on future needs of the employment sectors, all within an approach committed to vocational integration and social inclusion.

Mr. Fränk serves as Vice President and Treasurer at EVBB. He is a dedicated advocate for education and a technology enthusiast with a career that spans over two decades. He currently holds a position on the Board of Directors at brainymotion AG, where he oversees the company’s government-funded educational ventures and the development of cutting-edge training and learning platforms and modern educational formats. Mr. Fränk embarked on his educational career in the 1990s as a technical trainer, fostering a deep passion for education and learning. He owned brainymotion AG, an IT Training and Vocational Education and Training provider, up until 2022. This organization specialized in advanced IT learning solutions in the domains of cloud, data, and artificial intelligence and has since become a part of the Aspire Education Group.

Throughout his professional life, Mr. Fränk has consistently believed in the transformative potential of education, asserting that ongoing education enables individuals to lead self-directed lives. He staunchly supports lifelong learning and is dedicated to offering opportunities for personal and professional growth to individuals, irrespective of their backgrounds.

Convinced that the roots of lifelong learning begin in childhood and not just in professional life, Mr. Fränk also contributes as a member of the supervisory board for a provider of schools and kindergartens, in addition to his full-time responsibilities.

Mr. Grassos is the Secretary-General of EVBB. He has extensive experience both at the EU level and in Greece, covering a period of over 20 years. His national experience includes reorganising a number of public bodies, while he has been responsible for ex-ante and ongoing evaluation of Human Resources Development Operational Programmes, supporting the design and delivery of restructured and modernised ALMPs in different countries. At the EU level, he has been working in multicultural environments for the past 18 years, for different DG’s and EU Programmes. Fluent in four languages, he has also collaborated with the Structural Reform Support Service (now DG Reform). So far, he has been responsible for over 100 projects of various sizes at the national and EU levels and is currently working with EU institutions and key umbrella organisations in the areas of employment, education and social inclusion. Finally, he is a member of two Working Groups of the European Commission: “Working Group on Vocational Education and Training and the Green Transition” and “Working Group on Adult Learning – Opening Up Opportunities for All”.

Ms. Bellet serves a Board Member at EVBB. She is an accomplished interpreter and translator proficient in French, English, and Spanish, holding a Master’s degree in Interpretation with a specialization in Geopolitics. Since 2003, she has been actively involved in European projects, particularly in programs from the European Commission centered around lifelong learning and capacity building for groups at risk of exclusion. She has served as the coordinator for the EUROPRO platform of the Government of Aragon, where she provided training and technical assistance in international project submissions to Third Sector entities within the Aragon community.

With more than a decade of experience, she has authored, managed, and accounted for over 100 strategic long-term projects, facilitating collaborations among more than 250 entities across Europe. In addition, she is a member of the Directivas de Aragon Association, focusing on women’s empowerment within executive boards. She also played a pivotal role in writing the SAAM pilot project, which successfully brought together over 36 partner organizations from Europe and Africa.

Mr. Cernei serves as a Board Member at EVBB. Mr. Cernei commenced his studies at the Western University in Timișoara, Faculty of Economics, graduating in 1974. Following graduation, he was assigned by ministerial decree to work as an economist at IAEM – Timișoara, an electric measuring instruments company. During his tenure from 1974 to 1994, he advanced from an economist to General Manager. In 1994, he applied to FRG Timisoara for the position of administrator and has been serving as the director since 1995.

Since 2007, he has participated in over 60 European projects, 12 of which as an applicant, leading to self-financing. He has been a member of EVBB since 1995, and part of its presidium since 2001. In 2004, he joined the Youth 4 Media Network eV, and since 2021, he has served as an Ambassador of EU OSHA -VET Romania, at the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.

Mr. Fabris serves as a Board Member at EVBB. He holds a Master’s Degree in Law and has accumulated 10 years of experience in VET and human resources management on both European and global scales. He has occupied significant positions such as a trainer designer, HR manager, and HR and Job Service Offices VET Italy Country Manager, along with serving as a temporary manager/director for corporate entities. His areas of expertise include human resource management, project development for funded initiatives, and designing training programs for both professionals and job seekers. Currently, he is the Executive Director of DB Tech Europe APS, which is part of the Salesians of Don Bosco’s network covering Europe, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, where he oversees strategic alliances, international networking, and the management of European projects.

Mr. Sebastian Frank holds an MSc in Strategic Management and a BA in Tourism and Leisure Industry. He has more than 10 years of experience in project management in the fields of IT solutions, educational organisation and EU project planning and management. Mr. Frank has successfully managed a diverse range of projects in the fields of youth, geriatric care, vocational education and training, migration & immigration as well as multiple IT solution projects. He is currently head of the European project department of the Austrian Young Workers Movement ÖJAB in Vienna and a board member of the EU Youth umbrella organisation YES-Forum. For 17 years, Mr. Frank is also a volunteer paramedic at the Austrian Red Cross.

Ms. La Iglesia serves as a Board Member at EVBB. She is currently employed as a teacher and project manager at Escola Pia Mataró, where she has served for more than 16 years. She possesses a degree in Economics and has completed a master’s in International Relations. At her school, she is involved in managing a consortium that includes 12 schools specializing in Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Higher Education (HE).

Mr. Lenoir serves as a Board Member at EVBB. With 25 years experience within the French National Agency for Adult Vocational Training, Mr. Lenoir is an expert in the ecosystem of vocational training, qualification policy and socio-professional integration. As Project Director in the Vocational Training and Qualification Department, he works mainly on issues directly linked to the requirements of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Inclusion. These include the work organisation environment, analysis of jobs and skills, qualification systems, occupational and assessment standards, and the policy of certification bodies. Responsible for European cooperation, he is particularly involved in the work and development of the EVBB’s activities and participates in the European Commission’s consultative groups and in projects developed by the main European institutions.

Mr. Merciecca serves as a Board Member at EVBB. He is a high-level expert in vocational training and public-private partnerships, currently serving as a “chef de mission” at the French Ministry of National Education. With over a decade of private sector experience, he now oversees the strategic deployment of more than 120 hubs for vocational Excellence (Campus des métiers) across France, which support key sectors like energy, aeronautics, crafts. In 2024, he led the 3rd Forum of Vocational Excellence, emphasizing his dedication to positioning vocational education as central to European innovation and sustainable growth.

Mr. Milios is a Board Member at EVBB. He is DIAN’s E.U. Programmes coordinator working in this field for more than 20 years. He has studied Physics, has a PhD in Meteorology, Research work in Biometeorology, very long experience in teaching students, teachers and adults and he is an author of 10 books for students in physics and mathematics and 7 books on E.U. issues. Mr Milios as EU Project’s Coordinator has contributed to the development of the training material for many European projects and he supervised the training activities. He also worked through the Networks for European training providers in which he is an active member. Finally, he participates in the activities concerning the protection and sustainability of the environment through close collaboration with the Archipelagos Research Institute, organizing training and research activities for students and educators coming to Greece from all over the world.

Prof. Dr. Sanchez Bengoa is at Board Member at EVBB. She is Vice-president of International Relations at the University of Applied Management Studies in Mannheim, Germany. She is a Professor of International Business and graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University, England. Her responsibilities include the development of international co-operations as well as the internationalization strategy of the university. She lectures at postgraduate and master’s levels and researchers in EU projects. Her professional focus is intercultural management, communication, and knowledge transfer. Over the last 28 years, she has accumulated extensive intercultural experience by working, teaching, researching, and living in seven European countries. This international life has provided her with a deep understanding of how national cultures influence international business, leading her to develop tools and strategies to successfully manage cultural differences. She has published over 35 academic papers and book contributions in this field.

Mrs. Vivian Welker is a Project Manager for international projects and cooperation. Her career in the education sector started when she first got introduced to vocational education and training in Sweden. Before becoming a project manager for international projects, she was in charge of several VET programs and she made sure that both students’ and stakeholders’ needs were met. Her current role allows her to profit from her previous experience and to further influence the development of VET in Sweden and across Europe. Several of her current projects aim to ensure a better match between vocational education and the current and future demand of the labour market.

Mrs. Monica Verzola has long-standing domain expertise in Vocational Education and Training, lifelong learning and professional guidance, with a focus on up-and re-skilling pathways to foster adult employment.

Her close relationship with the world of VET is fostered also by means of her role as Director of the International area of the ENAIP NET consortium, one of the major actors at the Italian level, and through her active participation in the main umbrella associations at EU level.

She contributes to the international debate on vocational training and the issues related to employment, social inclusion, and sustainable development by engaging with the European Commission (and especially DG EMPL) by means of the VET4EU group and as one of the experts on the Platform of European Associations of VET Providers and of the EEA Working Group on VET and the green transition.

She holds the position of Vice-President and member of the Steering Committee of the LLLP – Lifelong Learning Platform and is one of the delegates of the Diversity Europe Group/Category 3 of the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI) in the European Economic and Social Committee.

Holding a Degree in Educational Science with a master’s in career development and career support, she is an expert in the research and validation of skills, social inclusion, assessment and employability analysis of the labour market.

Mr. Sigmund is an Honorary President of the European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB). During his studies, Mr. Sigmund developed a strong focus on vocational training, particularly in promoting disadvantaged young people across Europe.
Mr. Sigmund’s professional career began at the Internationaler Bund (IB), one of Germany’s largest providers of youth social and educational work, which he describes as a stroke of luck. Mr. Sigmund held various managing director roles in the operational business in Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate before being appointed Managing Director of Finance and Controlling in 1996.
From 1998 to 2012, Mr. Sigmund served as Chairman of the IB Executive Board. The IB was a co-founder of the EVBB in 1992, and Mr. Sigmund contributed significantly to the association by serving as Vice President on the Executive Committee from 1996 and as President from 2013.
Under Mr. Sigmund’s leadership, he played a pivotal role in advancing the EVBB’s growth and spearheading its European orientation, including the establishment of an office in Brussels.
In 2016, Mr. Sigmund was appointed Honorary President of the EVBB.
Even today, Mr. Sigmund remains actively involved on a voluntary basis. Mr. Sigmund takes great pride in the dynamic development of the EVBB as a recognized partner of the EU Directorates General and various partner networks.

Mr. Kuhn is a former President and Vice President of the European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB). Mr. Kuhn served as Vice President of the EVBB from 1998 and as President from 2005 to 2012.

Mr. Kuhn’s main occupation was as a member of the management and executive board of Christliches Jugenddorfwerk Deutschlands e. V. (CJD).

After completing his training and studies at the Academy for Business Administration in Ulm, Mr. Kuhn began his career as a teacher and trainer at the CJD vocational training center in Maximiliansau, where he taught business administration and accounting. Mr. Kuhn later became head of the department for commercial training and further training professions, significantly advancing the work of the retraining center, and was appointed director in 1988.

In 1992, Mr. Kuhn joined the central management of the CJD in Ebersbach/Fils. Mr. Kuhn was initially responsible for ‘Vocational Training’ and ‘Vocational Rehabilitation’ and later assumed responsibility for the ‘Economy and Finance’ division of the entire organization until his departure from the CJD Board in 2007.

From 2013 to 2022, Mr. Kuhn was involved in the Presidium and served as Vice President of the CJD.

Presidency

Executive Comittee

Honorary Presidents

Presidency

Executive Comittee

Honorary Presidents

Executive Committee

Mr. Thiemo Fojkar (BBB)

Dr. Margarida Segard (ISQ)

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Beckmann (EBG)

Mr. Konstantinos Rodopoulos (AKMI SA)

Mr. Marek Nikel (Euro Projektservis s.r.o.)

Dr Christophe Sadok (AFPA)

Mario Frank

Mr. Theodor Grassos

Beatrice Bellet

Mr. Nicolae Cernei (FRG Timisoara)

Piero Fabris

Mr. Sebastian Frank (ÖJAB)

Lorena La Iglesia

Alex Lenoir

Matthieu Merciecca

Dr Panos Milios (DIAN)

Prof. Dr Dolores Sanchez Bengoa (HDWM, University of Applied Management Studies)

Ali Rashidi

Mrs. Vivian Welker (Folkuniversitetet)

Mrs. Monica Verzola (ENAIP NET)

Mr. Werner Sigmund (IB)

Mr. Berthold Kuhn (CJD Children and Youth Foundation)

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