About Us
Airport Regions Council (ARC) stands as the collective voice of regional and local authorities hosting or adjacent to airports. Our organisation integrates a wealth of expertise at the intersection of airport operations and local/regional policies. We are dedicated to maximising benefits and minimising environmental impact, ultimately striving to improve the well-being of residents in airport regions.
Our Members
ARC represents a diverse array of member regions, encompassing both major European hubs and smaller airports poised for development. We offer comprehensive knowledge and support to our members, ranging from project assistance to facilitating engagement with EU institutions. Additionally, we provide valuable access to grants and programs, empowering our members to thrive in the aviation sector.
Austria
Vienna City Council
Belgium
Vlaams-Brabant Provincial Government
The Walloon Company of Airports (SOWAER)
Czech Republic
Prague Airport Region
Finland
Vantaa City Council
Uusimaa Regional Council
Germany
Dahme Spreewald City Council
Rhein-Neckar Metropolitan Government
FrankfurtRheinMain Regional Authority
Greece
Western Greece Regional Government
Hungary
Budapest XVIII District Government
Ireland
Fingal County Council
Israel
Eilat City Council & Eilot Regional Government
Malta
Malta Government Aviation Department
Netherlands
Haarlemmermeer Municipality
Norway
Gardermoren Regional Intermunicipal Political Council
Portugal
Porto Metropolitan Authority
Slovakia
Kosice Self-governing Region
Spain
Barcelona City Council
Castelldefels City Council
Catalonia Regional Government
El Prat de Llobregat City Council
Gavà City Council
Ingenio City Council (Canary Islands)
Manises City Council
Viladecans City Council
Ukraine
Boryspil City Council
Meet The Team
Sergi Alegre Calero
Director General
Sergi Alegre (PhD) joined ARC as Director General in September 2018. Previously he served for seven years as the President of ARC. At the same time, he was the Vice-Mayor of the City of El Prat where the airport of Barcelona is located. In El Prat, he was responsible for urban planning, mobility and environmental issues for more than twenty years. He is and has been involved in many European projects, participated in events as a key speaker and dealt with negotiations on airports and aviation issues.
Khouloud Boulsaien
Financial and Administrative Officer
Khouloud has over five years of experience in finance, human resources, administrative operations, international cooperation, and European project management. She has expertise in budget planning, financial reporting, and managing administrative processes in compliance with EU standards.
She holds three master’s degrees in European Studies, International Management, and Finance, and is fluent in French, Italian, and English.
Andrea Ivasivka
Senior Policy Researcher
Andrea Ivasivka joined ARC in January 2022 as a Policy Manager. Andrea has more than 20 years of extensive experience in the aviation field, focusing primarily on legal and policy matters and worked for more international aviation associations. She holds a Master’s degree in law and a bar exam, Bachelor’s Degree in International Transportation and Foreign Economic Relations.
She speaks English, Italian and Hungarian.
Alena Maximova
Communications and EU Projects Officer
Alena leads communication and dissemination for EU projects, developing content and digital solutions that boost the visibility and impact of EU initiatives.
She holds a Master’s degree in European Studies, and speaks English, French, Dutch and Russian.
Lilli Szabo
Communications Officer
Lilli supports ARC's communication efforts and EU projects by managing social media, coordinating newsletters, and helping to enhance overall outreach.
She holds a Master’s degree in Tourism Management and speaks English, German, and Hungarian.
Ana García Sainz-Pardo
Collaborative Researcher
Ana García Sainz-Pardo worked with ARC during the ANIMA project as a Research Associate. Currently, Ana works for SENASA as an Environment and Airport Noise Specialist and collaborates with ARC on aviation noise issues. She holds MSc Civil Engineer & Bachelor's Degree in Law.
You can contact Ana in English and Spanish.
Dr. Johanna Sonnenburg
Collaborative Researcher
Dr. Johanna Sonnenburg joined ARC in January 2024 as a Collaborative Researcher in the field of Urban Development in Airport Regions. Johanna has more than 15 years of experience in Airport related urban development, especially Sustainable urban design, Participatory planning, Public-private cooperation models, Placemaking/Real estate concepts, and Infrastructure and Mobility. She holds a PhD in Urban Planning around Airports and a MSc/Diploma in Architecture and Urban Design.
She speaks English, German, Spanish and Russian.
Ignasi Ragas
Collaborative Researcher
Ignasi Ragas is an economist specialising in transport and planning. With 38 years of experience in local and regional government and consultancy, he has played a key role in shaping aviation policies in Barcelona and Catalonia. Ignasi was instrumental in the launch of the ARC, where he served as its first formal Secretary General. He possesses extensive knowledge in airport strategy, governance, airport city and area dynamics, air freight, and logistics. Throughout his career, Ignasi has worked with and studied numerous airports and airport regions across Europe, the United States, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Assembly and Executive Committee
The ARC assembly, comprising all members, convenes twice yearly as the supreme authority of the association. General meetings occur quarterly, chaired by the President of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee, appointed by the assembly for three-year terms, oversees ARC's operations in their bi-annual meetings. Members of the Executive Committee serve without remuneration during their tenure.
Erich Valentin
President
Erich Valentin has served as a political representative of Vienna since 2002. In his current capacity, he is responsible for the portfolios of Innovation, Mobility and Public Transport. Within this role, Mr. Valentin oversees the mediation process at Vienna International Airport, working in close cooperation with the airport’s management.
Gemma Badia
Vice-President
Gemma Badia has become mayor of Gavà (Barcelona) in 2021. The new mayor has a diploma in Business Sciences, a technical in Marketing and a technical in Business Management from the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), as well as a postgraduate degree in Advertising from EAE Business School, and has been a councillor in Gavà since 2015 and since July 2019 she held the post of deputy mayor of the Area of Public Space, Security and Coexistence.
Jordi Candela Garriga
Vice-President
Jordi Candela Garriga has been the Managing Director of Aeroports de Catalunya, Airport operator of the airports belonging to the Generalitat of Catalonia, since 2010. Mr Candela holds a Master of Science in Transport Engineering, Degree in Management & Business Administration and Degree in Law. Previous professional experience include Ifercat (regional railway operator of Catalonia), Abertis Infraestructuras, and Everis consulting. In the airport sector, he was involved in the acquisition and management of the airport group TBIplc by Abertis, the development of Abertis Airports, as well as many airport tender processes. Additionally, he works as a teacher in various masters and postgraduates programmes in infrastructure management and is the author of several articles and studies in aviation.
Pekka Timonen
Vice-President
Pekka Timonen is mayor of Vantaa. Vantaa is the 4th largest city in Finland with 250,000 inhabitants. Vantaa is part of the Greater Helsinki Metropolitan area and home of Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport.
Developing better cities has been his passion and profession for over 20 years. During his career Timonen has been mayor of Lahti, secretary general at the Prime Minister´s Office, and cultural director of the city of Helsinki. He has also worked as a business leader.
Timonen holds an MA in history. He is a regular speaker at international conferences on sustainable city development, placemaking, and urban change management. In 2018 he was awarded as the Spokesperson of the Year in Finland.
Rouven Kötter
Vice-President
Rouven Kötter is Deputy Director of Regionalverband FrankfurtRheinMain, a regional authority responsible for land use planning and regional development in the Frankfurt Rhine-Main area. Mr Kötter also is Chairman of the European Office of the Metropolitan Region FrankfurtRheinMain and non-executive director of different regional corporations for business development and culture. Rouven Kötter holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master in Public Administration. He served as mayor of Wölfersheim – a town near Frankfurt – for ten years. Mr Kötter was elected member of ARC’s Executive Committee in April 2018.
Vladimír Vytiska
Vice-President
Vladimír Vytiska is a Chair of the Prague Airport Region. Mr Vytiska, with a diploma in economics, had been the elected Mayor of Únetice in the past for twenty years. He has also studied music and is an active musician. Mr Vytiska has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2010.
Tuija Telén
Vice-President
Ms. Tuija Telén has worked as the Regional Mayor of Helsinki - Uusimaa Region in Finland since November 2023.
Prior to this position, she used to work in the municipality sector, for example as the Mayor of Karkkila and as the director of economic development and public relations in Tampere.
Ms. Tuija Telén holds a Masters degree in electrical engineering from the Tampere University of Technology, in addition to which she has also completed the REAP-program in the Sloan School of Management, MIT, Boston.