Speakers

She provides high-level expertise and advice on strategic sustainable urban/territorial development as part of Sustainable Europe 2030, and is notably in charge of the UN New Urban Agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 11 and the urban dimension of the other SDGs). She is currently heading the DG REGIO Project Group on the forthcoming Long Term Vision for Rural Areas. Wallis has held various management and leadership positions with the European Commission over the past 16 years, heading Units responsible for delivering the European Employment Strategy trough Employment Services, establishing the EU Skills Agenda, defining the first European Disability Strategy and supporting Inclusive growth, Sustainable Urban and Territorial Development. Wallis was also the European Commission chief negotiator for the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, ESF Head of Unit for Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia as well as Acting Director of the European Social Fund. She joined DG REGIO which is responsible for regional and urban policies in January 2018. Altogether Wallis worked for 30 years in the European Commission in various policy making positions (contributing to the setting up of the new VAT system to allow for the functioning of the Internal Market, as Head of Sector for export promotion to Japan and then Deputy Head of the Unit in charge of overall EU relations with Japan, North and South Korea, Australia and New Zealand…) and 8 years for the French Ministry of Economy and Finances (starting her career as fiscal administrator) and the French Prime Minister services responsible for coordinating French ministerial positions on the EU front (as deputy to the Economic and budget Councellor). Wallis held a Post-Master degree in Science of Organisations with a specialisation in International Fiscal Policy and Administration from University Paris Dauphine. She also held a Master of Sciences in Taxation Economics from the French National School of Taxation as well as a Bachelor of Sciences in economics from Paris Sorbonne University. She is an alumni of the Salzburg Seminar for Young Leaders (the Asian Miracle), London Business School (developing strategy for value creation) and Henley Business School (advanced personal leadership programme). Wallis was awarded the title of Ambassador of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities in Poland by disability NGOs for ensuring the respect of rights of persons with disabilities while advocating for the effective implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons in Poland and ensuring accessibility of EU funded investments in Poland.