Michael Villa is the Executive Director of smartEn - Smart Energy Europe, the leading European business association focused on demand-side flexibility. He is member of the Smart Energy Expert Group of the European Commission and of various Steering Committees of international fairs and European stakeholders platforms of the clean tech industry. With a background in energy sector advocacy, he previously served as Senior Consultant for clients in the EU and Middle East. Michael holds a Master's from the Institute for European Studies in Brussels and a bachelor's degree from the Catholic University of Milan.