News

JA Europe appoints five new members of the Board of Directors

On 28 November 2023, JA Europe’s Annual General Assembly formally approved the five new Board Members: Katharina G. Andresen, Owner and Board Member, Ferd; Mark Timmermans, Vice President Road Network Operations Europe, FedEx Express; Matteo Curcio, Senior Vice President - Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, Delta Air Lines; Matthew Caruana, Chair of the Board of Executives and Loran Geskens, President of JA Alumni Europe.

Whereas Janet Johnstone, Chief Administrative Officer at BNY Mellon and Kylie Ann Jimenez, Senior Vice President Toyota Motor Europe, were appointed Board Members by the Board on March 16, 2023, their mandates were also confirmed at the 2023 Annual General Assembly.

Katharina G. Andresen

Owner and Board Member, Ferd

Sixth generation owner and Board member of Ferd. Katharina is passionate about equality, diversity and LGBTQ+ rights. Bachelor's degree from Regents University, in global management, change and sustainability. She has held a number of roles within several companies and fields such as Ferd Social Entrepreneurs and Innovation Norway.

Mark Timmermans

Vice President Road Network Operations Europe, FedEx Express

After studying Econometrics at Tilburg University, Mark Timmermans started within FedEx Europe in 2009. Since then he held different positions and is currently Vice President for the European Road Network.

Matteo Curcio

Senior Vice President - Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, Delta Air Lines

Matteo Curcio is Senior Vice President for Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEAI) based in Paris. He is responsible for overseeing all commercial activities across the EMEAI region and developing long-term growth opportunities with Delta’s joint venture partners Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic.

Matthew Caruana

Chair of the Board of Executives & CEO JA Malta

Matthew Caruana is the CEO of JA Malta. He is a business innovator, coach and mentor with a proven track record for driving project success from the grassroots up. Passionate about start-ups and entrepreneurship, Matthew’s work in the startup ecosystem has been integral to the successful launch of countless projects.

Loran Geskens

President of JA Alumni Europe

Loran is the President of JA Alumni Europe, the network of former JA Participants. In high school, she participated in the JA Company Programme with her company 'KazaK', resulting in a spot in the Online European Finals in 2020. Recently, she completed her Bachelor's Degree of International Business Management.

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Katharina G. Andresen, Owner and Board Member, Ferd, said upon her appointment to the Board: «Understanding yourself, your experiences, and your background is only the begging of the journey to optimise your contribution back to society.»

Matteo Curcio, Senior Vice President - Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, Delta Air Lines, said upon his appointment to the JA Europe Board: «Delta values the importance of cultivating leaders for tomorrow. We proudly support Junior Achievement Europe with its dedicated focus on empowering the next generation with financial literacy, entrepreneurial skills & a mindset for success.»

Mark Timmermans, Vice President Road Network Operations Europe, FedEx Express commented his appointment to the JA Europe Board: «At FedEx we proudly work together with Junior Achievement. Having worked closely together with JA as main partner on the 2023 Gen-E event, I look forward to continue the partnership and contribute to the positive impact of this organization».

Matthew Caruana, Chair of the Board of Executives & CEO JA Malta said upon his appointment to the JA Europe Board: «Entrepreneurial education is the compass that empowers minds to navigate the uncharted waters of innovation by transforming challenges into opportunities. Entrepreneurship is not just about the art of business,but about resilient mindset.»

Loran Geskens, President of JA Alumni Europe, commented on her appointment to the Board: «Motivated and engaged Alumni are the result of JA Programmes all over Europe and the world, and it is on us to keep them connected with JA and with each other with great outcomes as a result.»

The JA members have acknowledged the extraordinary commitment of the outgoing Chair Adam Warby, the Vice-Chair Michel de Wolf and former Chairs and founders of JA Europe as:

Michael Bray Honorary Chair

Jørgen Clausen Honorary Chair and Honorable Founder

Jo Deblaere Honorary Chair

Michel de Wolf Honorary Co-Chair and Honorable Founder

Francesco Vanni d'Archirafi Honorary Chair and Honorable Founder

Adam Warby Honorary Chair

The JA network expresses its deepest gratitude to them given their significant contribution to the growth and impact of the organization as well as to the individuals who are leaving the board/role during the year for their tremendous commitment to the growth of the organization and the impact on the next generations of Europeans: Johan H. Andresen, Adam Warby, Michel de Wolf, Nicolas Enrique Ferri, Michael Gerard Feerick, Grant Carson, Peter Daly, Helena Jansson, Stefan Limpens, Janis Krievans, Moris Vandevyver.

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About JA Europe

JA Europe is the largest and leading organisation in Europe dedicated to inspire and prepare young people to succeed. For over 100 years, JA Worldwide has delivered hands-on, experiential learning in entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial health. In the last school year, the JA Europe network provided around 6 million learning experiences for youth in online, in person and blended formats.

JA Europe press and media contact: Minna Melleri, Chief of Advocacy and Growth (minna@jaeurope.org)