ECOS is managed by a Board composed of representatives from its member organisations, and in some cases independent members. The members of the Board are elected by the General Assembly for three years and meet three to five times per year. The Board provides strategic direction to the Secretariat.

Each year the Board proposes policy and strategic objectives as well as the annual work programme and budget for the following year to be approved by the General Assembly, as well as preparing the annual accounts for the previous year.

The day-to-day management of ECOS is provided by the Executive Director, supported by the Executive Management Team and the Secretariat.

ECOS Board Members are:

• President: Julika Dittrich, Independent capacity
• Vice President: Francisco Ferreira, ZERO, Portugal
• Treasurer: Gianmarco Santirocco, CircE, Malta
• Eva Bille, The European Environmental Bureau (EEB), EU
• Vito Buonsante, independent capacity
• Emilie Carmichael, Energy Saving Trust, UK
• Lucien Mathieu, Transport & Environment (T&E), EU
• Anthi Pournara, Ecocity, Greece
• Wim Verheugt, independent capacity

Learn more about the ECOS Board

Julika Dittrich is a German-qualified lawyer admitted to the Berlin Bar. She holds a doctorate in EU law and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in international trade, business and investment law. Over the past two decades, she has worked across the public, private and non-profit sectors in Europe and internationally. She has served on the ECOS Board since 2021 and as President since 2025. Find Julika in LinkedIN.

 

Francisco Ferreira is Associate Professor with Habilitation in Environmental Sciences and Engineering at NOVA FCT and Director of CENSE – Centre for Environmental and Sustainability Research. He holds Environmental Engineering degrees from NOVA FCT, Virginia Tech and NOVA Lisboa (PhD). His expertise spans air pollution, climate policy, and sustainable development. He is President of ZERO (zero.ngo), the most active Environmental NGO in Portugal, and has served on ECOS’ Board since 2017. Find Francisco on LinkedIN.

Gianmarco Santirocco is an Italian Certified Accountant and Auditor who has lived and worked in Malta since 2013. He earned a B.Com. (Hons.) in Finance (Economy of Banking, Finance and Insurance) and began his career in the private sector (insurance, power generators, scientific instruments). He transitioned to NGOs and notably managed finances for BirdLife Malta, Friends of the Earth Malta, CircE Malta, the Deaf People Association Malta and Unfinished Foundation. He joined ECOS as a board member and Treasurer in June 2019. Since 2020, he has played a key role in the ISO standardisation process for green finance matters, as a Maltese NSB’s delegate in two Technical Committees (TC207, TC322).

Eva Bille leads the Circular Economy team of the European Environmental Bureau, Europe’s largest network of environmental civil society organisations. She brings more than a decade of experience in the Brussels policy consultancy sphere, where she advised various industry organisations and companies, and holds a masters’ degree in economics from Tilburg University. She contributes to ECOS’ governance from both an ECOS member organisation’s perspective and with an outside/industry lens. She has served on the ECOS Board since 2025. Find Eva on LinkedIN.

Vito A. Buonsante is an independent environmental and human rights expert and policy adviser with over 20 years of international experience. His work spans regulation of chemicals, plastics and waste, international negotiations, and legislative reform. He has advised United Nations agencies and civil society organisations, drawing on expertise in environmental governance, regulatory transparency, public participation, and the right to a healthy environment. He joined the ECOS Board in 2026. Find Vito on LinkedIN.

 

Lucien Mathieu is the Cars Director at Transport & Environment (T&E), a leading European NGO campaigning for cleaner transport and energy. He holds a Master of Science (MSc) in engineering from l’École Centrale de Lyon in France. Based in Brussels, Lucien brings extensive expertise in EU environmental and climate regulation. In his role at T&E, he leads policy advocacy to accelerate vehicle electrification, regulate emissions, and decarbonise road transport. He has served on the ECOS Board since 2025. Find Lucien on LinkedIN.

Anthi Pournara is an environmental engineer, researcher and university lecturer with extensive experience across environmental consultancy, project management and civil society. She holds a Diploma in Environmental Engineering, two master’s degrees in Hydraulic Engineering and Waste Management, and a PhD in Sustainable Blue Economy. Her expertise spans sustainability, climate adaptation, circular economy, coastal and marine management, and environmental standardisation. She has served on the ECOS Board since 2023. Find Anthi on LinkedIN.

Wim Verheugt graduated as an ecologist from the State University of Utrecht, after majoring in nature conservation at Wageningen University. Following a 30-year career with Mott MacDonald, an engineering, management and development consultancy, his current focus is on the energy transition, nature-inclusive agriculture, and biodiversity restoration. He serves as a treasurer on the board of a local NGO in the Netherlands. He has been a member of the board since 2025. Find Wim on LinkedIN.