Teodoro Valente is a Full Professor of Materials Science and Technology at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and a leading figure in Italian research in the fields of aerospace, advanced materials, and innovative industrial processes. He is a distinguished member of the International Advisory Board of the Miami Scientific Italian Community.
Since 2023, he has served as President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), where he has promoted a systemic vision of national space policies, integrating scientific, technological, and economic dimensions. Previously, he directed the Institute for Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials at the National Research Council (CNR) and held the position of Pro-Rector for Research, Innovation, and Technology Transfer at La Sapienza.
He is the author of over 200 scientific publications in international journals, co-inventor of three international patents, and coordinator of numerous European and industrial research projects.
Andrius Kubilius is a Member of the European Commission responsible for Defence and Space (since December 2024).
From 1990 to 1992, he served as a Secretary-in-Charge of Lithuania’s pro-independence Sąjūdis movement and was the Chairman of the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats from 2003 to 2015.
A. Kubilius was a member of the Lithuanian Parliament from 1992 to 2019 and served twice as Prime Minister, from 1999 to 2000 and from 2008 to 2012.
Andrius Kubilius was a Member of the European Parliament from 2019 until December 2024, during which he chaired the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly (until July 2024).
Carlos García-Galán is the Program Manager for the Moon Base, bringing more than 27 years of experience in human spaceflight to this role. In this position, he supports the overall management and development of NASA’s Moon Base initiative, part of the agency’s broader effort to establish a lasting human presence on the Moon and prepare for future deep space exploration.
Previously, García-Galán served as the Deputy Manager for the Gateway Program. He also served as the Manager of the Orion Program’s European Service Module (ESM) Integration Office at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. In this role, he was responsible for the integration of the European Space Agency-developed ESM, including design activities, assembly, and testing with other modules of the Orion spacecraft.
A native of Malaga, Spain, García-Galán joined the Orion Program Office in 2010 at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, where he held various technical and management positions. His work encompassed integrated spacecraft design and performance, mission analysis, cross-program integration, and launch and flight operations support.
Prior to his involvement with Orion, García-Galán was an International Space Station (ISS) flight controller, supporting multiple Space Shuttle-ISS assembly missions and increment operations from Mission Control in Houston and Korolev, Russia. Additionally, he worked for Honeywell Space Systems as a technical lead, developing vehicle health management technologies and supporting Lockheed Martin during the initial development of the Orion spacecraft.
García-Galán has been recognized for his contributions to human spaceflight with numerous awards, including the Honeywell Space Systems Engineer of the Year (Houston), NASA Silver Achievement Medal, Exceptional Achievement Medal, Johnson Space Center Director’s Commendation, Orion Program Manager’s Commendation, and the prestigious Silver Snoopy Award.
Co-founder and CEO of Multiverse Computing, a leading company in efficient and sovereign AI models, and one of the world’s 100 most promising AI companies in 2025 (CB Insights). He currently serves as treasurer, a member of the executive team, and a member of the board of directors of the European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC). Vice President of Technology at Adigital.
Co-director of the QuIC Working Group on SMEs and Financing. Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics (University of Barcelona), Computer Engineering (UNED), Master’s in Business Administration (University of Navarra), Ph.D. (University of Barcelona), MBA (IESE). Former Deputy CEO of Unnim Bank: over 20 years in finance and banking. Former university professor of Engineering and Mechatronics (Statistics), Finance, and Marketing (Autonomous University of Barcelona). Previous experience in startups: BlockTac (blockchain), OmnixHealth (international health insurance), and others. Member of the Quantum World Association – QWA (non-profit).
Karina Robinson is the CEO of Redcliffe Advisory Ltd. The firm provides Chairman/CEO Advisory services. She is Founder of The City Quantum & AI Summit at the Mansion House, now celebrating its Sixth Year. She is Senior Advisor to Multiverse Computing, Europe’s largest quantum AI scale up. She was involved in brainstorming NATO’s 2024 Quantum Strategy.
She is a NED on the Board of Atlanti, a SF2bn Anglo-Swiss Fund Management firm and an Emeritus Governor of the London School of Economics.
In the City, she was Chair of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal Advisory Board, which groups together the CEOs/Chairs of major City institutions, as well as a Trustee of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, having helped grow it from a pop-up charity to a multi-year institution. She is also a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers.
Karina was a Senior Advisor to Cambridge Quantum, one of the premier global quantum software companies, which merged with hardware specialist Honeywell Quantum.
Her earlier career was spent as a journalist covering international financial issues. She was Senior Editor of The Banker magazine for eight years and the International Herald Tribune’s banking columnist. Her eponymous interviews with heads of state and CEOs were syndicated in the IHT. Karina was formerly Political & Economic Correspondent at Bloomberg/TV and began her career at merchant bank Morgan Grenfell as the Spanish Equity Analyst. She was educated in Madrid, at the Hotchkiss School in the US and at the London School of Economics where she studied economics and international relations. She is fluent in four languages.
Chris is a Chartered Engineer and military veteran with experience across IT, cyber security and secure communications.
Since joining CGI six years ago, he has served as Deputy Programme Director for the CySAFA programme and now leads the delivery of secure SOC services to UK Government clients.
Before joining CGI, Chris served as an Engineering Officer (Communications Electronics) in the Royal Air Force. His career has spanned network management, secure communications, ground radio and radar systems, organisational change management within NATO, cyber security operations, and cyber security strategy.
Chris achieved Chartered Engineer status in 2020, reflecting his technical competence and track record of delivering solutions to complex problems in a timely manner. He is also involved with the Space ISAC, where he works to raise awareness of cyber threats and their relevance across the space domain.
Matt Spence is a Managing Director and the Global Head of Venture Capital Banking at Barclays, where he also leads the firm’s Defense and Dual-Use Technology Investment Banking team. In this role, he advises innovative companies on IPOs, mergers and acquisitions, and capital raises.
Prior to joining Barclays, Matt was a Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Before transitioning to the private sector, he spent seven years in senior national security positions within the U.S. government. His roles included serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Senior Advisor to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter during his confirmation and transition, and holding senior positions at the National Security Council at the White House.
He lives in Sausalito with his wife Audrey, son, and three dogs.
Matt has also been a lecturer at Stanford, Yale, Oxford, and Arizona State University. He holds a doctorate in International Relations from Oxford University, a J.D. from Yale Law School, and both a B.A. and M.A. in International Policy Studies from Stanford University.
Dr. George C. Nield serves as the Chairman of the Global Spaceport Alliance. He has more than 50 years of aerospace experience with the United States Air Force (USAF), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and in private industry.
In March of 2022 he flew to space on the fourth human flight of Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. He had previously been the associate administrator for the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation and was responsible for licensing and regulating all commercial launch activities.
Prior to joining the FAA, Dr. Nield served as Senior Scientist for the Advanced Programs Group at the Orbital Sciences Corporation. His earlier assignments include working as an Astronautical Engineer at the Space and Missile Systems Organization, a Flight Test Engineer at the Air Force Flight Test Center, and an Assistant Professor and Research Director at the USAF Academy.
He was the Manager of the Flight Integration Office for the Space Shuttle Program at the NASA Johnson Space Center, and later worked on both the Shuttle/Mir Program and the International Space Station Program.
A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, he holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University, and an MBA from George Washington University. He is also a Flight Test Engineering graduate of the USAF Test Pilot School. Dr. Nield is a registered Professional Engineer and a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Stuart Foster is an experienced banking leader with 25 years in Commercial and Institutional banking. He plays a pivotal role in shaping and delivering Barclays’ client strategy – defining the Bank’s approach to client engagement and ensuring corporate clients receive the right solutions, insight and strategic support to enable their ambitions.
He holds a PhD and Master’s qualifications from the University of St Andrews, alongside professional banking accreditations (ACIB) and sustainability credentials from the University of Cambridge. Stuart is widely recognised for his commitment to organisational culture, inclusion and opportunity, and developing people and teams.
Alongside his executive responsibilities, Stuart has served as a Non-Executive Director at Better Society Capital, supporting charities and social enterprises nationwide and reflecting his longstanding passion for social mobility and inclusion within the financial sector.
Outside of work, Stuart is a keen sports enthusiast and a lifelong Liverpool FC supporter – bringing the same energy, optimism and team spirit to his leadership at Barclays.
Iain Martin is the co-founder and director of the London Defence Conference. He is also the director of Engelsberg Ideas. During his journalistic career he was a columnist for The Times, editor of The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday, and deputy editor of the Sunday Telegraph and The Wall Street Journal Europe. He has written two books: Making it Happen: Fred Goodwin, RBS and the Men Who Blew Up the British Economy (2013) about the 2008 financial crash, and Crash, Bang, Wallop: the inside story of London’s Big Bang and a financial revolution that changed the world (2016).
