We are delighted to announce the candidacy of Helmut Leopold for the Gaia-X Association for Data and Cloud (AISBL) Board of Directors election, scheduled to take place on June 5, 2023, during the highly anticipated Gaia-X General Assembly.

With over 30 years of experience in the IT and communication technology industry, Helmut Leopold currently serves as the Head of the Center for Digital Safety & Security at the esteemed AIT Austrian Institute of Technology. His illustrious career includes notable positions at Alcatel and Telekom Austria, where he played a pivotal role in the digitalization transformation of Telekom Austria into a modern multimedia and broadband company as its acting CTO. Throughout his journey, he has earned international innovation awards and national recognition as a digitalization expert.

Helmut Leopold excels in bridging the gap between research and technology commercialization, which is vital for developing new technologies and IT services with significant market impact.

He has always been actively engaged in developing eco-systems fostering innovation in new technology and market areas bringing together different stakeholders such as research, industry, NGO, and governmental organizations as done successfully in Austria for establishing the Austrian Gaia-X hub. He is especially passionate bridging the gap for smaller EU Member States (MS) ensuring their inclusion in EU data space initiatives. Furthermore, he has been actively engaged in initial coordinating efforts with CEE Gaia-X actors and national hubs. This will be an important objective for his involvement in the Gaia-X BoD for the further development of the Gaia-X initiative.

As a leader in several EU innovation Data Space projects and the Chair of the Gaia-X national Hub Austria, Helmut Leopold brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Gaia-X Board of Directors. His vision revolves around driving innovation, facilitating infrastructure and go-to-market processes, and fostering data space developments. With his vast knowledge and dedication, he aims to create a connected, secure, and data-driven European digital ecosystem.

We kindly request your support and encouragement during this election. Your vote will help shape the future of Gaia-X and enable us to realize the full potential of this transformative initiative. Save the date: June 5, 2023, for the Gaia-X General Assembly, where the election will take place. Let us join hands and work together to make Gaia-X a reality.

Thank you for your support!