Team

Astor Nummelin Carlberg is OFE’s Executive Director, responsible for the overall vision, activities of the organisation and policy development. He has extensive experience of European policy making processes, communications and network-building. Astor leads conversations on Europe’s digital challenges and the role of open technologies in achieving its full potential. He sits on the board of APELL, the European Open Source Business Association. Prior to OFE, Astor worked in the European Parliament and he was educated at Middlebury College, the Free University of Berlin and Solvay Business School.

Sivan Pätsch is OFE’s Finance and Operations Director. He held the role of Policy Adviser and Research Director at OFE. Before he joined OFE, he gained experience in EU policy making at the Council of the European Union. He also worked as an Information Security Officer and Data Protection Officer for arvato Bertelsmann and before as a Quality Coordinator, among other responsibilities. He has a master’s degree in European Affairs from Lund University, Sweden with a thesis on the global expansion of the European data protection standard, a topic he is also personally interested in. In addition, he holds a bachelor’s degree in European Public Administration from the University of Twente, Enschede and from the University of Münster. Sivan is a native German speaker, is fluent in English and is learning Dutch and Swedish.

Sachiko Muto is the Chair of OpenForum Europe and a senior researcher at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden. She originally joined OFE in 2007 and served for several years as Director with responsibility for government relations and then as CEO. Sachiko has degrees in Political Science from the University of Toronto and the London School of Economics; she received her doctorate in standardisation policy from TU Delft.

Jaakko Karhu is the Communications and Policy Advisor at OFE. He has a strong background in communications, technology, and EU policy. Before joining the OFE team, he was at the service of the European big data and AI research and innovation community at the Big Data Value Association. Having worked as a professional web developer for over 5 years, Jaakko has hands-on experience with open source software and its impact on innovation. His communications career started as a radio and TV journalist in a Finnish national broadcasting company. Jaakko has a Master’s Degree in Communication Studies (New Media and Society in Europe) from Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He speaks Finnish and English.

Axel Thévenet is a Policy Advisor at OFE. He studied European law in France and Germany, followed by a double master’s degree in European Studies at Sciences Po Strasbourg with a specialisation in public affairs. He developed his expertise on subjects such as data protection, copyright law and digitalisation while working in the European Parliament. His role at OFE has been mostly focused around public sector open source, OSPOs and interoperability. Axel is a native French speaker and fluent in English and German.

Ola Adach is a Policy Advisor at OFE. Prior to joining OFE, she worked in consulting firms in Brussels, where she advised clients on EU tech and digital policies. Her prior experience also includes fundraising, climate activism and legal research. She has a Master’s degree in European Union Law from University of Amsterdam. Her thesis analysed the sociolegal impact of the Platform Workers’ Directive on third country workers in the EU. She is interested in all things tech, especially their interactions with competition law and human rights. She speaks Polish and English, and is (passively) working on improving her German.

Aimilia is a Senior Policy Advisor at OpenForum Europe. With a solid track record in EU tech regulation and strategic advocacy, her expertise spans key areas including content moderation, accountability frameworks, and privacy law. Prior to joining OFE, she worked as a digital policy advisor in the European Parliament for seven years contributing to the development of flagship legislation, such as the Copyright Reform, the Digital Services Act and the European Health Data Space. She holds a Master’s degree in Internet law and policy and speaks Greek and English while she remains motivated to advance her fluency in French too.

Alvaro Vilas Gomez is a Policy Advisor at OFE. Alvaro has significant experience in EU digital policy and advocacy, having worked for policymakers and business associations on Telecoms regulation, interoperability, data-sharing and digital trade. Thereby, he developed his expertise in digital policy analysis, and the EU policy-making process. He studied a double degree in Law and Political Science in Spain, and holds an MA in European political and governance studies from the College of Europe, Belgium; and an Executive Master in Digital and IT essentials from the Université libre de Bruxelles. He speaks fluently Spanish and English, and an intermediate level of French.

Cybelle Rai is the Administrative and Finance Assistant at OpenForumEurope. Her journey in customer service has been a valuable period of ethical and professional growth, showcasing a proven aptitude for managing diverse administrative tasks. She possesses strong organizational skills and is committed to delivering high-quality results. Cybelle is a dedicated and self-reliant individual with a collaborative spirit. Recently relocating to Brussels, she is embracing new challenges and actively seeking to advance her career in Belgium. She is proficient in Arabic, English, and French, and is currently learning Dutch.

Christian Kummer is a Communications analyst at OFE. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Creative Business from NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. His previous work experience includes an 8-month internship at the Culture and Media Agency Europe, in which he gained insight into Communication strategies and project management of European Arts and Culture projects. Christian is a detail-oriented person, who shines in tasks involving creative problem-solving, conceptual thinking and visual communication. Moreover, he is a proficient user of various graphic design software programs and has hands-on experience with social media and web management. He is a native Luxembourgish speaker, is fluent in English, French, German and currently learning Spanish.

Éléonore Daxhelet is a research intern at OpenForum Europe. She holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from the Free University of Brussels and has recently completed an international master’s in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies across the universities of Glasgow, Dublin City and Charles, specializing in technology and security studies.
Éléonore brings practical research experience from her traineeship at FINABEL and journalism background from Le Soir. She currently serves as a voluntary researcher for Europinion, working on counter-disinformation initiatives and media literacy projects targeting young Europeans. Her technical expertise includes Python coding, API usage, and OSINT investigative methods for data collection and analysis.
Fluent in French and English with good German skills and developing Dutch proficiency, Éléonore is passionate about how technology intersects with security, information integrity, and human rights in the digital age.

Matilde Serrau is a research intern on semiconductors at OpenForum Europe. She has a background in International Relations and Diplomacy. Holding a master’s degree from LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome, her master’s thesis explored the role of semiconductors and chips in the global landscape, particularly in the competition between China and the USA, while also analysing the European Union’s position and public policies on technology and digital matters.
Prior to her current role, Matilde gained valuable experience as an ESG intern, working within an international team and also having the opportunity to engage in stakeholder engagement. She also completed an internship at the Economic and Commercial Office of the Mexican Embassy in Italy, where she had the opportunity to conduct policy analysis and data analysis.
Matilde is a member of a European think tank for students and young professionals. She has studied in Italy, Spain, and Canada, and speaks Italian as native language, English, French, and Spanish fluently, continually working on improving her language skills.