Juries
JURY FOR LITERATURE, THE ARTS AND HISTORICAL HERITAGE PRESERVATION
Pedro R. García Barreno
Secretary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE)
Secretary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), where he holds Chair “a”, he has built a distinguished career as a physician, researcher and essayist. Professor and Emeritus Professor at the Complutense University of Madrid, he also serves as the Rector’s Delegate at Carlos III University of Madrid and is a member of prestigious academies and more than twenty international scientific societies. Author of more than one hundred works on a wide range of subjects, particularly in the fields of surgery, philosophy and science communication, he has received numerous important distinctions in recognition of a career that brings together clinical practice, technological innovation and humanism.
Elena de Lorenzo Álvarez
Senior Professor of Spanish Literature at the University of Oviedo
Senior Professor of Spanish Literature at the University of Oviedo, she is a senior researcher at the Feijoo University Institute for Eighteenth-Century Studies, which she directed from 2016 to 2024, and Secretary of the Spanish Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies. Throughout her career, and across more than one hundred publications, she has developed a line of research focused on the study of Enlightenment literature, with particular attention to eighteenth-century poetry and the work of Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos. Since 2020, she has coordinated the research project ‘Government Censorship in Eighteenth-Century Spain’, funded by the Spanish National Research Agency.
María Pilar García Cuetos
Senior Professor in the Department of Art History at the University of Oviedo
Senior Professor in the Department of Art History at the University of Oviedo, she specialises in the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage. Throughout her career, she has held prominent positions, including Coordinator of the Arts Area at the Spanish National Research Agency and member of the Governing Council of the Spanish Committee of Art History (CEHA). She currently chairs the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Catalan Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (ICRPC). Author of important monographs and publications, she remains firmly committed to promoting awareness of the value of Asturian heritage, collaborating with various boards of trustees, organisations and educational institutions.
Ángel Villa Valdés
Archaeologist and Doctor of History from the University of Oviedo
An archaeologist and Doctor of History from the University of Oviedo, he received the Extraordinary Doctorate Award for his doctoral thesis on hillfort culture and ancient mining in Asturias. He was jointly responsible for compiling the Archaeological Inventory of Asturias and has led several museum projects, including that of the Archaeological Museum of Asturias, where he currently carries out his professional work. A full member of the Royal Institute of Asturian Studies and Honorary Trustee of the Valdés-Salas Foundation and University Chair, he is the author of more than one hundred scientific articles published in nationally and internationally recognised journals.
María López-Fanjul y Díez del Corral
Director of the Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias
Directora del Museo de Bellas Artes de Asturias, es licenciada en Historia del Arte por la Universidad Complutense de Madrid y la Universidad de Florencia, y doctora por la Universidad de Londres, donde realizó una investigación dedicada al coleccionismo y las prácticas curatoriales. Su trayectoria profesional está vinculada a prestigiosas instituciones culturales nacionales e internacionales, entre las que destacan el Museo Reina Sofía, el Victoria and Albert Museum de Londres, la Fundación “la Caixa”, el Museo del Prado y los Museos Estatales de Berlín, donde fue jefa de Conservación del Bode-Museum y responsable de las colecciones de arte italiano posterior a 1500 y de la colección española. Asimismo, ha sido directora artística de la Spanish Gallery de Bishop Auckland (Inglaterra).
JURY FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES, COMMUNICATION AND HUMANITIES
Manuel Villa-cellino
Chairman of the Governing Board of Nebrija University and the Board of Trustees of Antonio de Nebrija Foundation
Presidente del Consejo Rector de la Universidad Nebrija y del Patronato de la Fundación Antonio de Nebrija, ejerce asimismo la máxima responsabilidad del Foro Emilia Pardo Bazán, institución que agrupa a las universidades privadas españolas). A lo largo de su trayectoria ha desarrollado una sólida carrera en los ámbitos universitario y empresarial, desempeñando responsabilidades de alta dirección, gobierno y asesoramiento en instituciones académicas y organizaciones de referencia. Entre ellas destaca la presidencia del Patronato del Colegio Universitario de Estudios Financieros (CUNEF), cargo que ocupó entre 2005 y 2015.
Susana del Río Villar
Doctor of Political Science and Member of the European Commission’s Independent Experts Committee
A Doctor of Political Science, she received the Extraordinary Doctorate Award in Social and Legal Sciences and the Maruja Mallo Award for Equality, presented by the Ortega y Gasset-Gregorio Marañón Foundation. She advises leading institutions and legal and financial organisations on European affairs, geopolitics, defence and security. These include the European Commission, through its Independent Experts Committee, and she also serves as a scientific speaker at the European Parliament. She is a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts in Salzburg, leads academic projects and is the author of numerous articles and reports on European affairs, as well as four books on the process of European integration, including Twelve European Women: Building the European Union.
Zulima Fernández Rodríguez
Professor of Business Organisation at Carlos III University
Professor of Business Organisation at Carlos III University, she directs the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Family Business and the Chair in Entrepreneurship and Family Business. She combines her academic work with her role as an independent director on the boards of several companies and organisations. A specialist in innovation, digital technologies, internationalisation and family business, she has produced more than one hundred publications, a body of work recognised through six six-year research periods and one six-year knowledge-transfer period. Throughout her career, she has held important university and institutional management positions, including Director of ANECA and President of the Scientific Association for Economics and Business Management (ACEDE).
Óscar Rodríguez Buznego
Professor of Political Science at the University of Oviedo and Director of the Chair in Demography
Professor of Political Science at the University of Oviedo and Director of the Chair in Demography, established at the initiative of the Government of the Principality of Asturias, he founded Encuentros en Torazo, a series of discussions on the transformations and prospects of rural Asturias held in the municipality of Cabranes in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His research focuses on political Catholicism and Christian democracy, as well as Asturian society, its institutions and its political life. He is the author of several books and articles on Spain’s democratic transition and writes weekly political opinion columns for La Nueva España and El Periódico de España.
Manuel Tuero Tuero
Public Notary in Oviedo
A Public Notary in Oviedo, his professional career has focused primarily on notarial law, providing preventive legal advice and dealing with the execution of public deeds, inheritance matters and corporate affairs.
Ladislao Azcona
Journalist and Businessman, Board Member of Airtificial and President of the Azcona Foundation
A journalist and businessman with extensive experience in senior positions in the media and business sectors, his career has led him to head companies such as Tecnocom, Tressis and, currently, Estudio de Comunicación, in addition to serving on the boards of directors of several companies and institutions. He has also held important responsibilities in the academic, cultural and social spheres, including serving as Chairman of the Social Council of the University of Oviedo and as a member of various boards of trustees and advisory councils. He is currently a board member of Airtificial, President of the Azcona Foundation, and a visiting professor and lecturer at universities in Spain and Latin America.
JURY FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP, SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH
Adonina Tardón García
Doctor of Medicine and Surgery, Specialist in Preventive Medicine and Public Health
A Doctor of Medicine and Surgery, specialist in Preventive Medicine and Public Health, and member of the National Health Medical Corps, she has built a distinguished career in health administration, teaching and research. She has led numerous national and international projects on environmental epidemiology, cancer and children’s health, acting as principal investigator in important studies and European projects. Her scientific excellence was recognised with the Medal of Asturias in 2024, and in 2022 and 2025 she was named by the CSIC as Spain’s most outstanding Asturian researcher.
José Manuel Pérez Díaz “Pericles”
Technical Industrial Engineer and Former Managing Director of Valnalón
A Technical Industrial Engineer and a leading figure in the promotion of entrepreneurship, he was the founder and Managing Director of Valnalón from 1987 to 2010, developing a pioneering model for supporting entrepreneurship that has been implemented in Spain and Latin America. He has led international cooperation projects, collaborated with numerous universities and delivered more than 700 lectures in over 30 countries. He has also promoted several business initiatives and actively participated in social and entrepreneurship-support organisations, being recognised by Ashoka as a social entrepreneur. His career has been honoured with numerous national awards for his contribution to business development, innovation and social commitment.
Roberto Paraja Tuero
Mining Engineer and Former Chairman of Telecable
A Mining Engineer, throughout his professional career he has played an active role in major transformation processes, particularly in the fields of energy and telecommunications. His work has helped position Asturias as a benchmark for the deployment of broadband infrastructure in Spain through Telecable, the company he chaired until his retirement. He has also promoted key initiatives for the development of the regional technology ecosystem, including the Asturias ICT Cluster, of which he is currently Vice-President, and the CTIC Technology Centre Foundation, which he has chaired since its establishment in 2004.
María Calvo Carvajal
President of the Asturian Federation of Business Owners (FADE)
President of the Asturian Federation of Business Owners (FADE), she also holds the highest responsibility within the CAC-ASPROCON Developers Group and serves as Vice-President of the National Association of Property Developers and Builders of Spain. She holds degrees in Law and Business Administration from ICADE and an MBA from the Instituto de Empresa. Her professional career has developed at Construcciones San Bernardo, a family-owned company dedicated to housing development and construction, where she is Chief Executive Officer and shareholder.
Javier Vega de Seoane Azpilicueta
Mining Engineer, President of Gestlink, Singular Bank and the DKV Integralia Foundation
A Mining Engineer with a diploma in Business Management, he has more than fifty years of experience in the business world, both in industrial companies and in service-sector businesses. He has held senior positions at organisations such as SKF Española, Explosivos Río Tinto and DKV Seguros. He has served on more than forty boards of directors of public and private companies across a range of sectors and has held highly significant positions, including Chairman of Círculo de Empresarios. A trustee of Nebrija University and a member of the Energy Working Group at Elcano Royal Institute, he is currently President of Gestlink, Singular Bank and DKV Integralia Foundation, as well as Senior Advisor to the private equity group EQT.
María Cardín Blanco
Commercial and Marketing Director of Grupo El Gaitero
A graduate in Business Administration and Management from the University of Oviedo, with postgraduate studies and specialist programmes at both national and international level, she is Commercial and Marketing Director of Grupo El Gaitero, a historic Asturian cider company of which she represents the fifth generation of the family. She plays an active role in the cider sector as President of the Asturian Cider Association (ASSA) and a member of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Cider Association (AESI). She has also contributed to promoting the ‘Cider of Asturias’ Protected Origin Designation and, since 2020, has served on the jury for the Exemplary Town of Asturias Award, presented by the Princess of Asturias Foundation.
Fernando Rubiera Morollón
President of the Spanish Regional Science Association (AECR) and Director of the SEKUENS Chair for Innovation Analysis
A Doctor of Economics and Professor of Applied Economics in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Oviedo, he has undertaken research stays at prestigious international academic institutions. He is President of the Spanish Regional Science Association (AECR) and currently directs the SEKUENS Chair for Innovation Analysis. His main area of teaching and research specialisation is Urban and Regional Economics, a field to which he has devoted more than eighty scientific articles published in international journals. He has participated in and coordinated numerous research projects, both under European programmes, including Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, and at national level through Spain’s National R&D&I Plan. He has also advised the European Commission, the Government of the Principality of Asturias, as well as local councils and companies.
JURY FOR SOCIAL WELFARE AND SPORTS
Samuel Sánchez
Former Professional Athlete and Gold Medallist in the Road Race at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
A former professional athlete, he is considered one of Spain’s most outstanding cyclists of recent decades. His achievements include the gold medal in the road race at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the King of the Mountains jersey at the 2011 Tour de France, and victory in the mountain’s classification at the 2010 Vuelta a España, in addition to numerous victories and podium finishes in major international competitions. Since retiring from professional competition, he has remained closely involved in sport, taking part in initiatives promoting cycling, sporting events and activities related to education, health and healthy lifestyles.
Padre Ángel
Founder of Mensajeros por la Paz Association
Founder of Mensajeros por la Paz Association, Father Ángel has devoted more than fifty years to helping those most in need, particularly children, both in Spain and abroad. The priest also leads the Church and Social Centre of San Antón in Madrid, as well as the Catedral de Justo Social Centre, which provide shelter, support and assistance to people experiencing unwanted loneliness or poverty. He also carries out important work in raising social awareness and promoting a message in defence of human rights and human dignity. His career has been recognised with numerous awards and distinctions, including the Princess of Asturias Award for Concord in 1994 and a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.
Cristina Álvarez Mendo
Graduate in Tourism from the University of Oviedo and Director of the Tour of Asturias
A graduate in Tourism from the University of Oviedo, the Director of the Tour of Asturias is the only woman in Spain to lead a professional men’s road cycling race. Connected to cycling from an early age through her father, she has continued his legacy and become a leading figure in the sport. Her work has been recognised with important distinctions, including the Royal Order of Sporting Merit, awarded by Spain’s Higher Sports Council. She currently serves as Treasurer of the Spanish Association of Cycling Race Organisers. In addition to her career in sport, she is also known for her commitment to a range of charitable causes.
Marcelino García Toral
Professional Football Coach
A professional football coach, he is one of the most recognised and respected figures in Spanish football, thanks to a sporting career marked by significant success with the clubs he has managed, including Valencia CF, Villarreal CF, Athletic Club, Real Zaragoza, Racing de Santander and Recreativo de Huelva. Previously, he enjoyed a career as a professional footballer, playing, among other teams, for Real Sporting de Gijón in Spain’s First Division during the 1980s. Deeply connected to his roots, he holds the title of Villaviciosa’s Favourite Son, in recognition of his role as an ambassador for his hometown throughout his career.
Paola Suárez
A Leading Figure in Argentine and International Tennis
A leading figure in Argentine and international tennis, during her professional career she reached World No. 1 in doubles and the Top 10 in singles, won 44 WTA titles, including eight Grand Slam titles, and earned the bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Her career places her among the greatest doubles players in the history of the sport. She is currently Director and Coach of Club Pro Tenis, dedicated to training new generations of players and promoting grassroots sport. She has also been recently appointed captain of the Argentine women’s national tennis team for the Billie Jean King Cup. In recognition of her commitment and career, she has been named Ambassador for Oviedo European City of Sport 2026.
Bernardo Sopeña Solares
President of the Asturias Food Bank Foundation
Following a career of more than three decades devoted to teaching, during which he worked as a teacher at educational centres in Mieres, Siero and Oviedo, he joined the Asturias Food Bank as a volunteer upon his retirement. He subsequently became a member of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and held various positions of responsibility before being elected President in 2017.