Dr Velislava Petrova has extensive international experience in science, global affairs and public policy. Between 2022 and 2023, she served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in three consecutive Bulgarian governments. For the past two years, she has served as Chief Programme Officer at the Centre for Future Generations in Brussels, where she coordinates the organisation’s work on European policy, focusing on EU competitiveness. Her work focuses on Europe’s strategic autonomy in areas such as artificial intelligence and defence technologies, as well as on building partnerships between European institutions, academia and industry. Her career began in academia, where she earned a PhD in Infectious Diseases from the University of Cambridge. She went on to work with the United Nations on health innovation in developing countries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she joined the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi), contributing to the development of investment strategies to combat emerging pathogens. She has also advised the World Health Organization and the World Bank on biotechnology and disaster risk management.