Joan Vives, new Administrative Director of the Foundation and the BBRC

The Foundation and our research center, the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC), strengthen our management structure with the appointment of Joan Vives as the new Administrative Director of both institutions.

With more than twenty years of experience leading biomedical research centers in Europe and Africa, Vives will bring leadership and management skills focused on scientific excellence to the Foundation, with a strategic vision aimed at strengthening the impact capacity of both organizations.

“In this new phase, I intend to contribute to efficient management aligned with the values of both entities, strengthening strategic leadership and organizational transformation, while always considering the professional development of our teams. It is also a priority to continue advancing internationalization, improving the management of innovation projects, and bringing the center's activities closer to the public and our collaborators”, highlights Joan Vives.

With this addition, the Foundation and the BBRC are strengthening our structure to continue advancing our challenges against Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. In this regard, Dr Arcadi Navarro, director of both entities, has stressed that “we are at a key moment in Alzheimer's research, and at the Foundation and the BBRC, we have set a very ambitious roadmap with the strategic plans of both organizations. We are convinced that with Joan Vives as our manager, we will achieve everything we set out to do and much more.”

About Joan Vives

With a background in technical engineering, Vives has complemented his studies with several postgraduate programs: a master's degree in operations and services management (ESADE), an international master's degree in health economics and pharmacoeconomics (Pompeu Fabra University), and a postgraduate degree in international development (UPC). Throughout his career, he has held executive positions at leading institutions in the biomedical sector, combining strategic management with operational management and institutional transformation. This experience has allowed him to manage complex operations and lead projects related to sustainability, scientific infrastructure, digitalization, and governance. Until now, he was the Administrative Director of the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), where he has led key support services for a community of more than 500 researchers.

His commitment to science extends beyond the executive branch. Vives has participated as an advisor and member of governing councils and scientific committees at institutions such as the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), the Wellcome Trust or the BBRC itself, of which he was part of the scientific evaluation committee in 2023. He also stands out for his participation in initiatives such as Barcelona Mentoring Program, by Barcelona Activa, and the UKRI Environmental Sustainability Advisory Group, from the United Kingdom.