Angelo Salsi - Head of Unit of the LIFE Programme & CIP eco-Innovation at the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME)

Head of Unit of the LIFE Programme & CIP eco-Innovation at the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME)

I was born in Bolzano in the very north of Italy. This is a region known as Südtyrol where three different linguistic groups live together in a peaceful and successful way. As Bolzano did not host any university I moved to Bologna to continue my studies. There I majored in agricultural sciences and started my career as agro-meteorologist: the guy who tells the farmers which way the wind will blow. It was a great job that I loved and I still miss today, but things must change.

In 1992 I succeeded in winning a competition at the European Commission. Two years after I joined "the House" working for the Nature Conservation department of the Directorate General for Environment. It was another love story that lasted almost 10 years. Saving butterflies and birds has a lot to do with the old Native American proverb that says: "We do not inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children".

In 2000 I was appointed deputy head of a new department - "The Life Unit". This unit was responsible for the management of the whole Life financial program, financing projects covering all possible environmental aspects. A great opportunity for me to learn and to stay in contact with the territory, something I greatly appreciate.

In 2005 it was time to move to a management responsibility as head of a new finance unit. It was a wonderful experience helping me shaping my skills in the challenging world of management.

After several years dealing with contracts and invoices I returned to my old love: nature conservation and biodiversity as responsible for the Life Nature unit.

This story now continues in my new role as manager of the LIFE and Eco-Innovation unit in the executive agency EASME. Once more on the front line helping member states and all concerned parties protecting Europe's natural heritage and our environment as well as supporting the EU efforts in the battle against climate change.