Alexander Boto, technical coordinator for Environmental Planning at Ihobe, takes over from Jesús Losada, with whom he has worked on the implementation of Basque Government strategies, such as the Environmental Framework Programme, circular economy, climate change and biodiversity in the Basque Country.
In this new legislature, Jesús Losada Besteiro will be the Director of Employment Training and Income Guarantee at Lanbide.

The new General Manager of Ihobe graduated in Economic Sciences from the University of the Basque Country and has a Master’s Degree in Regional and Urban Planning from the London School of Economics. He has been the Basque Government’s Director for the Natural Environment, Climate Change and Urban Planning, and is a member of the European Commission’s TAIEX group of experts for the environment. He has participated in conferences on behalf of the Basque Government, in international networks, such as Regions4, The Climate Group or Iclei.

Ihobe is a publicly-owned company depending on the Basque Ministry for Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment. Its mission is to promote and contribute towards environmental improvement in the Basque Country, hence increasing the well-being of its citizens through sustainable human development.

The Basque Government’s strategic framework identifies major environmental challenges that are interdependent, which Ihobe is already addressing and will outline future actions: climate action, protection of our natural capital and the fostering of a circular economy.

In this way, Ihobe contributes significantly to the Sustainable Development Goals set out in the Agenda 2030, focusing mainly on SDG 9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure through the circular economy and eco-innovation in Basque companies; SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities, promoting the Udalsarea 2030 Network of Basque Municipalities; SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production, with the fostering of Green Public Purchasing and Procurement, and encouraging the commitment to Sustainability at a social level through the Ekoetxea Network; and SDG 13 - Climate Action, which mobilises a large number of stakeholders in innovation projects, having recently coordinated the Urban Klima 2050 Life Integrated Project.

Furthermore, Ihobe forms part of the Aclima Basque Environmental Cluster, the BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change, the European Environmental Protection Agencies network, the Common Forum on Contaminated Land in Europe, the Pyrenees Climate Change Observatory, and works closely with the University of the Basque Country, University of Deusto and Mondragón University.

CV Alexander Boto Bastegieta (07/03/1966)

• Graduate in Economic Sciences from the University of the Basque Country. Master’s Degree in Regional and Urban Planning from the London School of Economics and a Master´s Degree in Business Management from the University of the Basque Country.

• 25 years working in the Environmental Public Company, Ihobe, holding positions such as Deputy Technical Director, Strategy Director, Coordinator of the Basque Government’s Urban Planning

• 2014 - 2016: Basque Government’s Director for the Natural Environment, Climate Change and Urban Planning.

• European Commission’s Technical Assistance Expert, TAIEX, in the field of the environment and economic competitiveness.

• Presentations at national and international conferences on behalf of the Basque Government’s Ministry for the Environment (international networks: Regions4, The Climate Group, Iclei).

• In the academic area, teaching of post-graduate classes at different universities (UPV/EHU, UPNA, University of Talca in Chile) in the following subjects: Agenda 2030, Environmental Innovation, Sustainable Competitiveness, Circular Economy, Climate Change, Local Sustainability.

• 2013 - 2016: Senior Associate at the Agirre Lehendakaria Center for Social and Political Studies (ALC). Coordination of academic research papers with Columbia University (AC4-Earth Institute) and George Mason University with the aim of researching and sharing the Basque socio-economic transformation model internationally.

• 2008 - 2014: Member of the Editorial Board of “Revista Ekonomiaz” journal of the Basque Government’s Ministry for the Economy and Finance.