Introduction
EIT Urban Mobility is a Knowledge and Innovation Community created by the European Institute of Technology (EIT) with the mission to accelerate the transition towards sustainable mobility for more liveable cities – “Moving people, connecting communities, serving businesses and re-imaging public spaces”.
We bring together key players across the whole value chain of mobility to create end to end solutions. We facilitate collaboration between cities, industry, academia, research and innovation to solve the most pressing mobility challenges of cities with a close and integrated citizen-centric approach. EIT Innovation Communities are dynamic and creative partnerships that harness European innovation and entrepreneurship to find solutions to major societal challenges in areas with high innovation potential and strengthen European competitiveness.
Governance structure
EIT Urban Mobility is governed through two legal entities, the EIT Urban Mobility Association and the KIC Legal Entity (LE), a limited liability company. The Association is the sole shareholder of the KIC LE with the Managing Board as its governing body.
The association’s General Assembly (GA) is the highest decision-making body of the Association in which all core partners with voting rights meet and make strategic decisions. Its management body is the Managing Board of the Association. With respect to the KIC LE, it is governed by the Supervisory Board (SB), who holds no executive powers as they are delegated to the CEO and its Management Team (MT), as its main operational body.
The operation is managed by the headquarters in Barcelona (Spain) and five so-called Innovation Hubs in Copenhagen (Denmark), Prague (Czech Republic), Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain) and Amsterdam (the Netherlands). EIT Urban Mobility is governed through two legal entities, the Association and the KIC LE, a limited liability company owned by the Association.
Roles and responsibilities
The Supervisory Board has a supervisory and non-operational function, overseeing the activities of the KIC LE and monitoring the definition and fulfilment of the Strategic Agenda. The competences of the Supervisory Board (also known as KIC LE’s board of directors) are to:
- Lead a strategic and non-operational governance role in the KIC LE.
- Supervise the activities of the KIC LE and to monitor the fulfilment of the activities of the KIC LE in accordance to the EIT UM Strategic Agenda.
- Lead on the compliance with EIT Good Governance Principles, namely separation of supervisory functions from operations and introducing a system of checks and balances.
- Propose the Strategic Agenda of the KIC LE.
- Approve the Business Plan of the KIC LE.
- Approve the negotiation and execution of any agreement with the EIT.
- Appoint and revoke the CEO and COO/CFO of the Management Team and supervises their work.
Internal composition of the Supervisory Board
The Supervisory Board is composed by seven members, who are elected by the General Assembly of core partners. Four out of seven members are independent. The remaining three members represent the knowledge triangle (industry, universities and cities). The Chair of the Supervisory Board must be independent.
Remuneration of the Supervisory Board member
Supervisory Board members are remunerated in line with common practice in EIT Knowledge Innovation Communities (KICs). Travel expenses are covered.
Independent Supervisory Board member requirements
Call for two Independent Supervisory Board members
EIT Urban Mobility is looking for two independent members with supplementary skills and competences from across the extended Knowledge Triangle (innovation, education, cities, business creation).
Requirements for candidacy
Candidates for the Supervisory Board chair should fulfil the following conditions:
- Worked in a leadership position related to mobility or cities
- Supervisory board experience
- Long-term international experience on a pan-European level
- Highly committed to the vision and mission of EIT Urban Mobility
- Well connected to high-level decision makers in Europe
- Excellent communicator with the willingness to become a forceful ambassador of EIT Urban Mobility.
- Independent (must not have any personal, legal, business interests or financial ties during a period of at least two years before the start of the mandate to either any of the existing core partners of the EIT Urban Mobility Association, any of their Linked Third Parties, Affiliated partners, partners of the KIC LE or the KIC LE itself). This rule does not apply to current members of the Supervisory Board.
For the current two open positions, we are especially looking for expertise and experience in either:
- Corporate governance trackrecord
- Audit committee/Finance/Legal
- Business experience/Business creation, Venture Capital, start-ups and acceleration
Required availability
The Supervisory Board meets at least four times a year virtually or face to face for board meetings. Furthermore, work on specific topics is performed in topical committee meetings. The remuneration of the members of the Supervisory Board is proposed by the Nomination and Remuneration Committee of the Association and determined by the General Meeting of Shareholders (GA). Travel expenses are covered.
Application and appointment procedure
Applications for the independent positions of the Supervisory Board at EIT Urban Mobility are to be submitted to the Secretariat of the Managing Board via email secretary@eitumassociation.eu by 15 January 2023, 23:59 CET. Submissions will be shared with the Nomination and Remuneration Committee who will start the evaluation process in order to propose candidate/s to the General Assembly.
Applications are to include a CV and a cover letter introducing one’s professional experience. Submitted candidacies will be presented to the members of the Association and will be open for an appointment procedure during next GA.
EIT Urban Mobility aims to keep a gender balance within its Supervisory Board.
