About ERT

The European Round Table for Industry (ERT) has a long history of promoting competitiveness and prosperity in Europe.  In April 1983, 17 leading European business leaders came together to launch ERT.  They were then, as we are now, united by a belief that European co-operation between industry, policymakers and all stakeholders is essential to strengthen Europe’s place in the world.

Today, ERT Members include CEOs and Chairs from around 60 of Europe’s largest companies in the industrial and technological sector. We are committed to creating a strong, open and competitive Europe through which we promote sustainable growth, jobs and prosperity for all.

We publish reports and papers, which we share with the public, decision makers in European and global institutions and national governments. They are the basis for discussion and action. We advocate policies that underpin the values of freedom, tolerance, equality and openness.

 

Companies led by ERT Members represent

  • 5 million direct jobs globally
  • €2,000 billion combined annual revenues
  • €60 billion investment in R&D each year

How ERT Works

  • ERT Members meet twice a year in Plenary Session, the principal ERT decision-making body, where key issues are identified and discussed.
  • ERT Members nominate an Associate. An Associates Meeting precedes each Plenary Session.
  • Working Groups are chaired by ERT Members and composed by Associates and company experts. They work on key issues, develop recommendations and report back to the Plenary Session.

ERT is working on the following topics:

CFO Platform CFO Platform
Competition Policy Competition Policy
Competitiveness & Innovation Competitiveness & Innovation
Digital Transformation Digital Transformation
Energy Transition & Climate Change Energy Transition & Climate Change
Jobs, Skills & Impact Jobs, Skills & Impact
Securing Europe’s Place in a new world order Securing Europe’s Place in a new world order
Trade & Market Access Trade & Market Access
Anthony Gooch Gálvez face shot

Anthony Gooch Gálvez

Secretary General

Anthony Gooch Gálvez is a dual Spanish & UK national with 30 years of experience as a senior official on the international stage working closely with EU &  global business & industry.

In his 15 years as Director at OECD, he worked across major policy areas  to develop strategic responses to successive crises: recovery from the GFC included G20-mandated efforts to reform international tax standards to establish fairer tax systems to close down tax havens  & tax the digital economy (BEPS). To implement the Paris Agreement, he promoted key OECD standards & work on Climate Change, making significant contributions to OECD projects on the  Digital Transformation & Artificial Intelligence, Trade in Value Added & MNE Guidelines, the Pandemic & War in Ukraine , developing the  OECD COVID Hub, To put wellbeing at the centre of policymaking, he conceived the award-winning OECD Better Life Index . He was closely involved in eight  accession processes in Europe & Latin America expanding OECD to its current membership of 38.

Orchestrating an ambitious stakeholder strategy, he created the OECD Global Parliamentary Network, engaging key legislators worldwide, including a strategic partnership with the European Parliament,  to contribute on global tax reform & artificial intelligence. He was responsible for managing the OECD’s relations with institutional partners Business at OECD & TUAC. As Director of the OECD Forum, he led efforts to engage all stakeholders, establishing partnerships with companies & promoted inclusivity on gender & youth.

As an EU Commission official, trade negotiator & diplomat over 14 years representing the EU, he co-ordinated the groundbreaking EU/Mexico Free Trade Agreement, subsequently being appointed EU Trade Spokesman & Special Adviser to Commissioner Pascal Lamy.  His experience included negotiations at WTO  Ministerial Meetings in Seattle in 1999 & Doha in 2001 to launch the Doha Trade Round & complete China’s Accession to WTO , the  EU Everything But Arms Initiative & WTO Doha Public Health Declaration securing access to medicines for killer diseases. He helped manage high profile trade disputes such as Boeing/Airbus & US steel tariffs.

After an  EU Visiting Fellowship in the US, he represented the EU in its Embassy in the US in Washington DC  during the complex post 911 period in Transatlantic Relations & subsequently the EU Embassy in the  UK in London before being headhunted by OECD.

He began his career as a consultant on EU affairs representing companies & trade associations to EU institutions on Single Market policy issues.

Most recently he has served as Senior Strategic Adviser at Brussels-based think-tank Re-Imagine Europa. He is an Adjunct Professor at IE University  in Madrid and Visiting Lecturer at USC in California. He is also a member of  the Academic Council of the Martens Centre for European Studies.

A recent graduate of IESE Business School ´s Advanced Management Programme, he holds a Postgraduate degree from the Institut dÉtudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po)  & an MA from Cambridge University.

He is married with 3 children and fluent in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

ERT Secretariat

Anthony Gooch Gálvez face shot

Anthony Gooch Gálvez

Secretary General

Philippe Adriaenssens face shot

Philippe Adriaenssens

Policy Director

Energy Transition & Climate Change CFO Platform
Robert O’Meara face shot

Robert O’Meara

Communications Director

Christine Reynaert face shot

Christine Reynaert

Executive Assistant

Hanno Woelm face shot

Hanno Woelm

Policy Director

Digital Transformation Trade & Market Access
Judith Ay face shot

Judith Ay

Policy Director

Jobs, Skills & Impact Competitiveness & Innovation
Sabine Vanbiervliet face shot

Sabine Vanbiervliet

Finance & Office Manager

Biljana Banjac face shot

Biljana Banjac

Communications & Events Coordinator

Carol Berghmans face shot

Carol Berghmans

Management Assistant

Filippa Damianakou face shot

Filippa Damianakou

Communications Assistant