On 17 June, the IQS Business Foundation Board of Trustees Meeting was held, in which the new presidency was formalized. Josep Arcas Romeu, who has led the Foundation since 2008, handed over the baton to Jeroni Farnós Marsal following an outstanding career marked by his commitment, leadership, and dedication. In recognition of his work, Josep Arcas will continue to be connected to the Foundation as an Honorary Trustee.
The new president, Jeroni Farnós Marsal, is an IQS Alumnus, a chemical engineer, and an industrial engineer who specializes in chemical engineering. He has a solid and extensive professional career in the industrial sector, especially in the field of engineering and the chemical industry. Much of his career has unfolded at Technip Iberia, where he held various management positions, including CEO for more than 30 years, as well as CEO of Technip Portugal between 1998 and 2006. Currently, he chairs the Chemical Industry Commission of the Association of Industrial Engineers of Catalonia and he is taking on the presidency of the Foundation with the firm purpose of continuing to strengthen the bonds between the business environment and the IQS community.
During the same session of the Board of Trustees Meeting, other relevant appointments were made: Jesús Santamaría Serna, an IQS alumnus, was appointed the new treasurer, and Marta Rodríguez Giró, an IQS alumna, and Santiago Sabatés Mas joined as new members of both the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee.
The IQS Business Foundation would like to express its deep appreciation to the outgoing members of the Board for their valuable contributions. In particular, we would like to thank: Carles Camp Pérez, an IQS alumnus, for his outstanding work as treasurer for so many years and his contribution to the economic management of the Foundation; also for their commitment to Joaquim Uriach Torelló, Enric Julià Danès, Mireia Torres Maczassek, Elisabeth Stampa, and Carles Navarro, who will continue to support the Foundation from the Board of Trustees.
As the Foundation’s highest governing body, the Board of Trustees has been instrumental in driving some of the most significant transformations in IQS’s century-long history. These include the project to reform and renovate the Engineering Pilot Plant, the development of initiatives such as Industry 5.0, the Processes and Integrative Technologies Transfer Centre, equipment donations for laboratories, the Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Scholarship Programme, and the recent STEM4Her project, among others.
At present, the Board of Trustees is composed of: Jeroni Farnós Marsal, president; Salvador Borrós Gómez, vice president; Jesús Santamaria Serna, treasurer; and Rosa Curt Santpera, secretary. The members of the Board of Trustees include: Frederic Abelló Riera, Ramón Agenjo Bosch, Ignasi Cañagueral Laboria, Marcos Cela Rey, Manel Cerqueda Díez, Álvaro Echevarría Arévalo, Mª Luisa Espinós Soldevila, Antoni Esteve Cruella, Luis Fernández‐Goula Pfaff, Marcos Fernández Garcia‐Marca, Sergio Ferrer‐Salat Serra di Migni, Andrea Firenze, Joaquim Folch‐Rusiñol Corachán, Jordi Gallardo Ballart, Víctor Grifols Deu, Josep Lagares Gamero, Rosa Maria Lleal Tost, Sofía Lluch Saunier, Jordi Martí Gascón, Joan Molins Amat, Carles Navarro Vigo, Marian Puig Guasch, Marta Rodríguez Giró, Francesc Rubiralta Rubió, Santiago Sabatés Mas, Elisabeth Stampa Jager, Guillermo Vallet Millet, and Carlos Ventós Omedes.
Currently, the IQS Business Foundation – formed by 97 companies from various sectors – continues to promote the corporate development of IQS, supporting programs such as collaboration with the MIT Spain Program and promoting education, research, and the connection between IQS and the business world. Along these lines, it continues to work on key projects such as scholarships for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees, Financial Aid Bachelor’s Degree Scholarships, STEM initiatives for female engineers, renovating the Pilot Plant, and consolidating its commitment to growth and academic excellence.