Foundation & Association
Our organisation
The Forum is made possible by the collaboration of many committed people. With the exception of the full-time organising team, most of them are volunteers. They work in various programming boards, making sure that our standards of relevance and high quality are met. The European Forum Alpbach operates under the leadership of its Executive Board. The organisational team is responsible for executing the strategy and organising all activities throughout the year. The Scientific Advisory Board and the International Advisory Board support the team in the selection of topics and speakers as well as in the further development of an international network. The Board of Trustees and the General Assembly determine guidlines for the activities of the association and for programming. The voice of our many independent Alpbach Alumni Associations is present in all EFA bodies via a team of elected representatives. In addition, the foundation was established to organise the scholarship programme.
Executive Board
Executive Board
The boards of the European Forum Alpbach Association and the European Forum Alpbach Foundation consist of seventeen dedicated people with one goal: To positively contribute to the future of Europe. The Foundation and Association are chaired by Andreas Treichl who is elected president since 2020. Together with a team of international experts, he is responsible for the orientation and strategy of the European Forum Alpbach.
Andreas Bierwirth
Treasurer Association
Jenni Zeller
Board Member Association
Howard Williamson
Board Member Foundation
Caroline Hornstein-Tomić
Board Member Foundation
Katja Gentinetta
Vice President Association
Marie Ringler
Vice President Association
Irene Giner-Reichl
Board Member Association
Antonella Mei-Pochtler
Co-opted Board Member Association
Werner Wutscher
Co-opted Board Member Association
Klaudie Mrkusová
Board Member Association
Karl Sevelda
Board Member Foundation
Winfried Kneip
Board Member Foundation
Boris Marte
Board Member Foundation
Katarzyna Pisarska
Vice President Association
Michaela Fritz
Vice President Association
Andreas Treichl
President Association & Foundation
Thomas Wieser
Board Member Association
Florence Gaub
Vice President Association
Executive Board Association
Andreas Treichl, President Association and Foundation | Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ERSTE Stiftung
Michaela Fritz, Vice President Association | Vice Rector for Research and Innovation at the Medical University of Vienna
Florence Gaub, Vice President Association | Foresight Advisor to the Coucil of the European Union
Katja Gentinetta, Vice President Association | Political philosopher, business columnist and university lecturer
Katarzyna Pisarska, Vice President Association | Chair of the Warsaw Security Forum as well as the Chairwoman of the Foundation’s Council and the Board of Directors of the European Academy of Diplomacy
Marie Ringler, Vice President Association | European head of the world’s largest network for social entrepreneurs, Ashoka
Andreas Bierwirth, Treasurer Association | Head of Group Retail at Erste Group, trained professional pilot and active in various supervisory board functions
Irene Giner-Reichl, Board Member Association | Austrian diplomat (retired), president of the Global Forum on Sustainable Energy and founding member of the Global Women's Network for the Energy Transition
Antonella Mei-Pochtler, Board Member Association | International senior advisor, member of multiple supervisory boards and investor
Thomas Wieser, Board Member Association | Former president of the Euro Working Group and the European Financial Committees. He is a non-resident fellow with Bruegel in Brussels
Werner Wutscher, Co-opted Board Member Association | Founder and CEO of New Venture Scouting and former secretary general of the European Forum Alpbach
Jenni Zeller, Board Member Association | Member of the Forum Alpbach Network Board | Conference interpreter, DLG at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and Chair of the Forum Alpbach Network Board
Klaudie Mrkusová, Board Member Association | Member of the Forum Alpbach Network Board | Policy Officer DG ENER (European Commission) and Vice-Chair of the Forum Alpbach Network Board
Executive Board Foundation
Andreas Treichl, President Association and Foundation | Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ERSTE Stiftung
Caroline Hornstein-Tomić, Board Member Foundation | Senior Researcher (Sociology & Anthropology) at the Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar / Zagreb and Co-founder & Managing Partner of THE CIVICS Innovation Hub
Winfried Kneip, Board Member Foundation | Senior Education Consultant, former Director of Educational Affairs at Stiftung Mercator and Founder of Love Politics
Boris Marte, Board Member Foundation | CEO of ERSTE Stiftung
Karl Sevelda, Board Member Foundation | Former CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International AG
Howard Williamson, Board Member Foundation | Youth worker, academic youth researcher and lecturer, and youth policy adviser
Organisational Team
Organisational Team
The team of the European Forum Alpbach is located in Vienna and manages the overall organisation of the main conference and the further events during the year. It ensures that all events are adequately financed and coordinated professionally, and that the events are covered appropriately in the media. In addition, the team is in charge of coordinating the annual scholarship programme.
Péter Hunya
Unit Content | Content Manager "The Future of Democracy and the Rule of Law in Europe"
Kevin Kaiser
Unit Content | Content Manager "Securing the Future of Europe in a Globalised World"
Board of Trustees
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees follows the activities of the association and supports the compliance with its aims. It sets the principle guidelines for the functions of the association’s bodies and the preparation of the programme. It is composed of people who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment towards the association.
Member of the Board of Trustees
- Martin Bernhofer
- Jürgen Busch
- Verena Ehold
- Erich Gornik
- Wolfgang Habermayer
- Michael Haider
- Edeltraud Hanappi-Egger
- Günter Hillebrand
- Bruno Hofbauer
- Herwig Hösele
- Michael Ikrath
- Beatrix Karl
- Wolfgang Knoll
- Georg Kopetz
- Elisabeth Krainer-Senger-Weiss
- Kathryn List
- Ulrike Lunacek
- Christian Macek
- Bernhard Marckhgott
- Sophie Martinetz
- Beate Meinl-Reisinger
- Patricia Mussi-Mailer
- Dieter Natlacen
- Ewald Nowotny
- Klaus Poier
- Filip Radunović
- Reingard Rauch
- Wolfgang Renner
- Verena Ringler
- Sabine Schindler
- Christoph Schneider
- Rainer Schrems
- Matthias Strolz
- Alexandra Terzić-Auer
- Hedwig Wölfl
- Board members of the EFA-Association
- Representing the Forum Alpbach Network (FAN): Florian Boschek
- Representing the Forum Alpbach Network (FAN): Andreas Maierhofer
- Representing the Forum Alpbach Network (FAN): Jenni Zeller
- Honorary President of the EFA: Heinrich Pfusterschmid-Hardtenstein
- Honorary President of the EFA: Franz Fischler
- Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board: Irene Giner-Reichl
- Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board: Winfried Kneip
- Chair of the International Advisory Board: Thomas Mayr-Harting
Scientific Advisory Board
Scientific Advisory Board
The Scientific Advisory Board is one of the central bodies of the European Forum Alpbach with regards to content programming: It proposes the general themes for the annual main event, prepares the Alpbach Seminars and provides the Board with advice and recommendations regarding the programme content. The Scientific Advisory Board consists of 30 renowned scientists and eminent representatives of the cultural sector, who choose one chairperson from among themselves.
Members of the Scientific Advisory Board
- Brigitte Bach
- Matthias Beck
- Anna Durnová
- Martin H. Gerzabek
- Irene Giner-Reichl (Chair as of 21/10/2021)
- Markus Hengstschläger
- Barbara Horejs
- Maximilian Jösch
- Sylvia Knapp
- Winfried Kneip (Chair as of 21/10/2021)
- Katja Mayer
- Josef Mitterer
- Hanns-Christoph Nägerl
- Manfred Nowak
- Elisabeth Oberzaucher
- Daniela Pollak
- Barbara Prainsack
- Peter Purgathofer
- Margit Schratzenstaller-Altzinger
- Sarah Spiekermann-Hoff
- Alma Steger
- Harald Stelzer, Kristina Stöckl
- Ulrike Tappeiner
- Felicitas Thun-Hohenstein
- Miriam Unterlass
- Michael Wagner
- Andreas Wimmer
- Rudolf Zechner
- Board Members of the EFA-Association
- Representing the Forum Alpbach Network (FAN): Andreas Maierhofer
- Representing the Forum Alpbach Network (FAN): Dorotea Neuberg
- Representing the Forum Alpbach Network (FAN): Jenni Zeller
Corresponding Members of the Scientific Advisory Board
- Jeremias Adams-Prassl
- Nadia Al-Bagdadi
- Petar Bojanić
- Johann Frank
- Maja Göpel
- Hermann Hauser
- Sabine Junginger
- Hedwig Josefine Kaiser
- Lisa Kaltenegger
- Peter G. Kirchschläger
- Dominik Markl
- Thomas Mayr-Harting
- Gero Miesenböck
- Berthold Molden
- Friedrich B. Prinz
- Michael Reiterer
- Dirk Rupnow
- Anya Schiffrin
- Tobias Schumacher
- Nona Sheppard
- Otmar D. Wiestler
- Howard Williamson
International Advisory Board
International Advisory Board
The International Advisory Board unites outstanding international personalities who know Alpbach and have already prominently participated in its activities. Central tasks of the board are consultations regarding the selection of topics and speakers but also the support of the Forum in expanding its international network. The board, founded in 2019, is chaired by Thomas Mayr-Harting.
Members of the International Advisory Board
- Catherine Ashton
- Franz Fischler
- Eamon Gilmore
- Arancha González Laya
- Jean-Claude Hollerich
- Kristalina Georgieva
- Miroslav Lajcák
- Pascal Lamy
- Thomas Mayr-Harting (Chair)
- Philippe Narval
- Geneviève Pons
- Jeffrey Sachs
- Karel Schwarzenberg
- Martin Selmayr
- Bruno Stagno-Ugarte
- Cédric Villani
- Hereditary Prince Alois von Liechtenstein
- Margot Wallström
- Thomas Wieser
Executive Board
Organisational Team
Board of Trustees
Scientific Advisory Board
International Advisory Board
Executive Board
The boards of the European Forum Alpbach Association and the European Forum Alpbach Foundation consist of seventeen dedicated people with one goal: To positively contribute to the future of Europe. The Foundation and Association are chaired by Andreas Treichl who is elected president since 2020. Together with a team of international experts, he is responsible for the orientation and strategy of the European Forum Alpbach.
Winfried Kneip
Board Member Foundation
Boris Marte
Board Member Foundation
Klaudie Mrkusová
Board Member Association
Marie Ringler
Vice President Association
Werner Wutscher
Co-opted Board Member Association
Howard Williamson
Board Member Foundation
Katja Gentinetta
Vice President Association
Thomas Wieser
Board Member Association
Andreas Bierwirth
Treasurer Association
Katarzyna Pisarska
Vice President Association
Jenni Zeller
Board Member Association
Irene Giner-Reichl
Board Member Association
Karl Sevelda
Board Member Foundation
Michaela Fritz
Vice President Association
Antonella Mei-Pochtler
Co-opted Board Member Association
Florence Gaub
Vice President Association
Caroline Hornstein-Tomić
Board Member Foundation
Andreas Treichl
President Association & Foundation
Executive Board Association
Andreas Treichl, President Association and Foundation | Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ERSTE Stiftung
Michaela Fritz, Vice President Association | Vice Rector for Research and Innovation at the Medical University of Vienna
Florence Gaub, Vice President Association | Foresight Advisor to the Coucil of the European Union
Katja Gentinetta, Vice President Association | Political philosopher, business columnist and university lecturer
Katarzyna Pisarska, Vice President Association | Chair of the Warsaw Security Forum as well as the Chairwoman of the Foundation’s Council and the Board of Directors of the European Academy of Diplomacy
Marie Ringler, Vice President Association | European head of the world’s largest network for social entrepreneurs, Ashoka
Andreas Bierwirth, Treasurer Association | Head of Group Retail at Erste Group, trained professional pilot and active in various supervisory board functions
Irene Giner-Reichl, Board Member Association | Austrian diplomat (retired), president of the Global Forum on Sustainable Energy and founding member of the Global Women's Network for the Energy Transition
Antonella Mei-Pochtler, Board Member Association | International senior advisor, member of multiple supervisory boards and investor
Thomas Wieser, Board Member Association | Former president of the Euro Working Group and the European Financial Committees. He is a non-resident fellow with Bruegel in Brussels
Werner Wutscher, Co-opted Board Member Association | Founder and CEO of New Venture Scouting and former secretary general of the European Forum Alpbach
Jenni Zeller, Board Member Association | Member of the Forum Alpbach Network Board | Conference interpreter, DLG at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and Chair of the Forum Alpbach Network Board
Klaudie Mrkusová, Board Member Association | Member of the Forum Alpbach Network Board | Policy Officer DG ENER (European Commission) and Vice-Chair of the Forum Alpbach Network Board
Executive Board Foundation
Andreas Treichl, President Association and Foundation | Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ERSTE Stiftung
Caroline Hornstein-Tomić, Board Member Foundation | Senior Researcher (Sociology & Anthropology) at the Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar / Zagreb and Co-founder & Managing Partner of THE CIVICS Innovation Hub
Winfried Kneip, Board Member Foundation | Senior Education Consultant, former Director of Educational Affairs at Stiftung Mercator and Founder of Love Politics
Boris Marte, Board Member Foundation | CEO of ERSTE Stiftung
Karl Sevelda, Board Member Foundation | Former CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International AG
Howard Williamson, Board Member Foundation | Youth worker, academic youth researcher and lecturer, and youth policy adviser
Organisational Team
The team of the European Forum Alpbach is located in Vienna and manages the overall organisation of the main conference and the further events during the year. It ensures that all events are adequately financed and coordinated professionally, and that the events are covered appropriately in the media. In addition, the team is in charge of coordinating the annual scholarship programme.
Kevin Kaiser
Unit Content | Content Manager "Securing the Future of Europe in a Globalised World"
Péter Hunya
Unit Content | Content Manager "The Future of Democracy and the Rule of Law in Europe"
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees follows the activities of the association and supports the compliance with its aims. It sets the principle guidelines for the functions of the association’s bodies and the preparation of the programme. It is composed of people who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment towards the association.
Member of the Board of Trustees
- Martin Bernhofer
- Jürgen Busch
- Verena Ehold
- Erich Gornik
- Wolfgang Habermayer
- Michael Haider
- Edeltraud Hanappi-Egger
- Günter Hillebrand
- Bruno Hofbauer
- Herwig Hösele
- Michael Ikrath
- Beatrix Karl
- Wolfgang Knoll
- Georg Kopetz
- Elisabeth Krainer-Senger-Weiss
- Kathryn List
- Ulrike Lunacek
- Christian Macek
- Bernhard Marckhgott
- Sophie Martinetz
- Beate Meinl-Reisinger
- Patricia Mussi-Mailer
- Dieter Natlacen
- Ewald Nowotny
- Klaus Poier
- Filip Radunović
- Reingard Rauch
- Wolfgang Renner
- Verena Ringler
- Sabine Schindler
- Christoph Schneider
- Rainer Schrems
- Matthias Strolz
- Alexandra Terzić-Auer
- Hedwig Wölfl
- Board members of the EFA-Association
- Representing the Forum Alpbach Network (FAN): Florian Boschek
- Representing the Forum Alpbach Network (FAN): Andreas Maierhofer
- Representing the Forum Alpbach Network (FAN): Jenni Zeller
- Honorary President of the EFA: Heinrich Pfusterschmid-Hardtenstein
- Honorary President of the EFA: Franz Fischler
- Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board: Irene Giner-Reichl
- Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board: Winfried Kneip
- Chair of the International Advisory Board: Thomas Mayr-Harting
Scientific Advisory Board
The Scientific Advisory Board is one of the central bodies of the European Forum Alpbach with regards to content programming: It proposes the general themes for the annual main event, prepares the Alpbach Seminars and provides the Board with advice and recommendations regarding the programme content. The Scientific Advisory Board consists of 30 renowned scientists and eminent representatives of the cultural sector, who choose one chairperson from among themselves.
Members of the Scientific Advisory Board
- Brigitte Bach
- Matthias Beck
- Anna Durnová
- Martin H. Gerzabek
- Irene Giner-Reichl (Chair as of 21/10/2021)
- Markus Hengstschläger
- Barbara Horejs
- Maximilian Jösch
- Sylvia Knapp
- Winfried Kneip (Chair as of 21/10/2021)
- Katja Mayer
- Josef Mitterer
- Hanns-Christoph Nägerl
- Manfred Nowak
- Elisabeth Oberzaucher
- Daniela Pollak
- Barbara Prainsack
- Peter Purgathofer
- Margit Schratzenstaller-Altzinger
- Sarah Spiekermann-Hoff
- Alma Steger
- Harald Stelzer, Kristina Stöckl
- Ulrike Tappeiner
- Felicitas Thun-Hohenstein
- Miriam Unterlass
- Michael Wagner
- Andreas Wimmer
- Rudolf Zechner
- Board Members of the EFA-Association
- Representing the Forum Alpbach Network (FAN): Andreas Maierhofer
- Representing the Forum Alpbach Network (FAN): Dorotea Neuberg
- Representing the Forum Alpbach Network (FAN): Jenni Zeller
Corresponding Members of the Scientific Advisory Board
- Jeremias Adams-Prassl
- Nadia Al-Bagdadi
- Petar Bojanić
- Johann Frank
- Maja Göpel
- Hermann Hauser
- Sabine Junginger
- Hedwig Josefine Kaiser
- Lisa Kaltenegger
- Peter G. Kirchschläger
- Dominik Markl
- Thomas Mayr-Harting
- Gero Miesenböck
- Berthold Molden
- Friedrich B. Prinz
- Michael Reiterer
- Dirk Rupnow
- Anya Schiffrin
- Tobias Schumacher
- Nona Sheppard
- Otmar D. Wiestler
- Howard Williamson
International Advisory Board
The International Advisory Board unites outstanding international personalities who know Alpbach and have already prominently participated in its activities. Central tasks of the board are consultations regarding the selection of topics and speakers but also the support of the Forum in expanding its international network. The board, founded in 2019, is chaired by Thomas Mayr-Harting.
Members of the International Advisory Board
- Catherine Ashton
- Franz Fischler
- Eamon Gilmore
- Arancha González Laya
- Jean-Claude Hollerich
- Kristalina Georgieva
- Miroslav Lajcák
- Pascal Lamy
- Thomas Mayr-Harting (Chair)
- Philippe Narval
- Geneviève Pons
- Jeffrey Sachs
- Karel Schwarzenberg
- Martin Selmayr
- Bruno Stagno-Ugarte
- Cédric Villani
- Hereditary Prince Alois von Liechtenstein
- Margot Wallström
- Thomas Wieser