Alicia has a degree in industrial engineering from the University of Seville, as well as a master’s degree and PhD in control, automation and robotics from the University of Seville. During her PhD, she was a visiting scholar at the University of Michigan and Imperial College London. She has more than 18 years of experience in all aspects of R&D, beginning with her time at renowned international organisations such as the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) through to her current work in development and knowledge transfer. For more than eight years, she has also advised the European commission on proposals, projects and programmes in the area of innovation. Since 2021, she has been Chief Innovation Officer at Ayesa. Recently in 2023, she has been named the new Chief Strategic Innovation Officer (CSInnO) at Ayesa, a position she will hold alongside her responsibilities in Utilities. Combining both roles will provide her with a broad vision of what our clients’ needs are likely to need looking forward.