WNE AWARDS

PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Patrick LANDAIS
Atomic Energy High Commissioner CEA

Patrick Landais is a geosciences engineer, with a doctorate in geochemistry (1981) and a state doctorate (1985).

After working for Elf and Cogema, he joined the CNRS in 1987 and became director of research in 1991. In 2001, he was appointed scientific director of Andra, the French national agency for radioactive waste management. In this capacity, he defined scientific policy and strategy and set up partnerships and R&D programmes. For his studies on the feasibility of geological disposal, he was awarded the Grand Prix Dolomieu by the Académie des Sciences in 2013.

In 2005, he became a member of the CNRS steering committee. He returned to Andra in 2006 as director of R&D before becoming scientific director of Brgm in 2013, where he is responsible for developing and implementing strategy and coordinating scientific activities.

In 2016, he joined Andra as Chief Technology Officer, where he is responsible for development, innovation, international relations and knowledge management.

He was appointed High Commissioner for Atomic Energy on 30 January 2019. Patrick Landais has published around 100 scientific articles, is a member of several scientific scientific committees and a Knight of the Legion of Honour and the National Order of Merit.

NUCLEAR SAFETY
Veronica GAREA
President of Fundación INVAP

Verónica Garea is a Nuclear Engineer (Instituto Balseiro, Argentina) and holds a MS in Math and a PhD in Engineering Physics (RPI, USA).

She worked at INVAP as a safety, reliability and environmental impact specialist for complex technology systems, including nuclear facilities. She was the head of the Department of Safety and Environmental Impact at INVAP from its creation up to 2014, when she became the Executive Director for Fundación INVAP. Since June 2021, she is the President of Fundación INVAP.

She has collaborated with several IAEA publications and served as expert consultant in international projects. Her current interests include social licensing of nuclear projects in the framework of the climate crisis as well as gender diversity in the nuclear industry. She is currently the vice president of Women in Nuclear Argentina.

OPERATION EXCELLENCE
Daniella LULACHE
Head of the Office of Policy and Co-ordination at the OCDE-NEA

Ms Daniela Lulache is the Head of Policy and Co-ordination of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) since 1 March 2018.

Before joining the NEA, Ms Lulache was Chief Executive Officer of Nuclearelectrica, the only nuclear energy producer in Romania. Under her leadership, the company went through significant transformation and performance improvement, contributing to improved corporate governance, profit increase and international recognition for its excellence in nuclear safety.

Prior to this, she was General Manager and President of the Board of Directors of Fondul Proprietatea (Property Fund), managing the entire activity of the Fund (Euro 4 billion investment fund) including start up, establishment of the corporate structure and corporate governance, investment strategy design and implementation, and portfolio management.

Having worked in the banking and financial industry for over 25 years, Ms Lulache has an extensive and rich experience, holding strategic top management positions throughout the years in both private and state-owned organisations.

Daniela Lulache is a Romanian national and economist by profession, having graduated from the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies.

SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Mary Alice HAYWARD

Mary Alice Hayward was most recently Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Management at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).In this role, Ms. Hayward led the delivery of financial, human resources, management, administrative, information technology, and general services that enabled the IAEA to successfully deliver its scientific and technical nuclear programs to meet its mandate. Her IAEA Management Accountability Initiative achieved measurable improvements in department staff execution of Agency services while improving performance and organizational culture.

Prior to joining the IAEA, Ms. Hayward was Vice President of Strategy, Government Affairs and Advocacy at AREVA Inc., a subsidiary of AREVA SA (now Orano & Framatome). Ms. Hayward also served with distinction in the U.S. Government for over fifteen years in nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear energy policy areas as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy and Negotiations at the U.S. Department of State, at the National Security Council as Director for Counter Proliferation Strategy, as well as leading policymaking roles at the Department of Energy and U.S. Senate.

Ms. Hayward has a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Texas at Austin, and a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Foreign Languages from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. She also holds a Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Engineering and National Academy for Nuclear Training Reactor Technology Certificate.