Board of Directors

ECSO Governance Structure

ECSO Chairpersons

Axel Deininger has been on the Management Board of secunet Security Networks AG since January 2018 and took over as CEO in June 2019. In October 2021, Axel Deininger was elected Chairperson of the European Cybersecurity Organisation (ECSO). Before joining secunet, Axel Deininger held various positions at the Munich-based Giesecke+Devrient Group for more than ten years, most recently as Group Senior VP and Head of Division Connectivity & Devices at G+D Mobile Security GmbH. The industrial engineer has also gained many years of management experience from positions at companies such as Siemens AG, Infineon Technologies AG and Samsung Semiconductor Europe GmbH.

Axel Deininger

Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO)

Secunet Security Networks (DE)

Miguel Ángel Cañada

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for National Public Administrations

Instituto Nacional de Ciberseguridad (INCIBE) (ES)

Secretaría de Estado de Telecomunicaciones y para la Sociedad de la Información (SETSI) (ES)

Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico y la Innovación (CDTI) (ES)

Fabio Martinelli

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for Research and Technology Organisation (RTOs) and Universities

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) (IT)

Alexis Caurette

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for Large Companies

Thales (FR)

Sebastiano Taffaletti

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

European Digital SME Alliance (BE)

Giorgio Cusma Lorenzo

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for Users and Operators

Intesa San Paolo (IT)

Arnaud is an experienced professional in public affairs, government relations and communications in cybersecurity and beyond. Since 2023 he brings his expertise to Paris-based scale-up Sekoia.io, leader in cyber threat intelligence and SOC technology. He represents the Alliance for Digital Trust (ACN), French association of cybersecurity and digital trust industries, at ECSO board of directors.

Aranud Dechoux

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for Associations

Alliance pour la Confiance Numérique (ACN) (FR)

François Lavaste

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for Investors

Tikehau Ace Capital (FR)

Members of the ECSO Board of Directors

National Public Administrations

Luca Nicoletti

Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN) (IT)

Marek Zeman

Cyber Security Competence and Certification Centre (SK)

Märt Hiietamm

Information System Authority, Republic of Estonia (RIA) (EE)

Miguel Ángel Cañada

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for National Public Administrations

Instituto Nacional de Ciberseguridad (INCIBE) (ES)

Secretaría de Estado de Telecomunicaciones y para la Sociedad de la Información (SETSI) (ES)

Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico y la Innovación (CDTI) (ES)

Michal Pukaluk

Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (PL)

Dan Cimpean

Romanian National Cyber Security Directorate (RO)

Regional/Local Public Administrations and Clusters

Javier Dieguez

CYBERZAINTZA (ES)

Research and Technology Organisation (RTOs) and Universities

Nizar Touleimat

Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies (CEA) (FR)

Fabio Martinelli

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for Research and Technology Organisation (RTOs) and Universities

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) (IT)

Ana Ayerbe

Fundación Tecnalia Research & Innovation (ES)

Kai Tannenberg

Goethe Universität (DE)

Large Companies

Thierry Racaud began his career at Matra Marconi Space where he participated in satellite telecommunications programs in Asia, for the Ariane 5 launcher in French Guiana, and various military Earth observation programs. He then joined Capgemini AeroSpace & Defence as Vice President where he was in charge of space, air traffic management and defence activities for European clients. In 2014, he was appointed CEO of ESSP (European Satellite Services Provider), a company providing safe and secured satellite services, primarily for the aeronautical sector. He joined Airbus in 2021 as CEO of one of its subsidiaries, Airbus Protect. Airbus Protect delivers safety, cybersecurity and sustainability services to the aerospace and critical industries, as well as European institutions.

Thierry Racaud

Airbus (FR)

Günter Koinegg is Group Executive Vice President at Atos, serving as a member of the Atos Group Leadership Team and leading the Cybersecurity Services business. He brings over 20 years of experience in the IT services industry, with a strong focus on cybersecurity as well as the Public Sector and Defense industry. Having held several regional and international leadership positions in recent years, he has focused on driving business transformation and growth. Together with the Atos team, he is particularly committed to supporting ECSO in enhancing Europe’s digital sovereignty, strengthening the European cybersecurity ecosystem, and closing the cybersecurity skills gap. Günter lives with his family in Austria and is a passionate skier and biker who enjoys spending his free time with family and friends.

Günter Koinegg

Atos (ES)

Andy Garth

ESET (SK)

Aldo Sebastiani

Leonardo (IT)

Jean-Michel Brun

Schneider Electric (FR)

Axel Deininger has been on the Management Board of secunet Security Networks AG since January 2018 and took over as CEO in June 2019. In October 2021, Axel Deininger was elected Chairperson of the European Cybersecurity Organisation (ECSO). Before joining secunet, Axel Deininger held various positions at the Munich-based Giesecke+Devrient Group for more than ten years, most recently as Group Senior VP and Head of Division Connectivity & Devices at G+D Mobile Security GmbH. The industrial engineer has also gained many years of management experience from positions at companies such as Siemens AG, Infineon Technologies AG and Samsung Semiconductor Europe GmbH.

Axel Deininger

Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO)

Secunet Security Networks (DE)

José Lucio González Jiménez

SGS Group (ES)

Karim Asser Nassim

Sopra Steria (BE)

Alexis Caurette

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for Large Companies

Thales (FR)

Tiina Sarhimaa

WithSecure (Finland)

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

Anett Madi-Nator

CyEx (HU)

Sebastiano Taffaletti

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

European Digital SME Alliance (BE)

Michel Bosco

Nexova (BE)

Miguel A. Juan Bello

S2Grupo (ES)

Users and Operators

Matthias Muhlert

Dr Oetker (GE)

Giorgio Cusma Lorenzo

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for Users and Operators

Intesa Sanpaolo (IT)

Associations

Arnaud is an experienced professional in public affairs, government relations and communications in cybersecurity and beyond. Since 2023 he brings his expertise to Paris-based scale-up Sekoia.io, leader in cyber threat intelligence and SOC technology. He represents the Alliance for Digital Trust (ACN), French association of cybersecurity and digital trust industries, at ECSO board of directors.

Aranud Dechoux

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for Associations

Alliance pour la Confiance Numérique (ACN) (FR)

Xabier Mixelena

AEI Ciberseguridad (ES)

Frank Van Caenenberg

CESIN (FR)

Paolo Grassia

CONNECT EUROPE (BE)

Gerd Müller

Eurobits (DE)

Juha Remes

North European Cybersecurity Cluster (NECC)

Alexander Schellong

TeleTrusT – IT Security Association Germany (DE)

Investors

François Lavaste

Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) for Investors

Tikehau Ace Capital (FR)