Dr. Josep Maria Carbonell, new president of Blanquerna-URL

Josep Maria Carbonell i Abelló (Barcelona, 1957) graduated in Philosophy and Humanities from the Autonomous University of Barcelona in 1979 and holds a PhD from Ramon Llull University. In 1975 he joined the University and Christian Students Movement (MUEC) where he held executive positions, and then for four years in Paris he was secretary general of the International Movement of Catholic Students (MIEC-Pax Romana); representing this organization, he held the position of a UNESCO youth NGO consultant. In 1986 he was appointed Chief of Staff to the President of the Barcelona Provincial Council until 1995. He has been a member of the CIDOB Board (1989-1995). He was also a deputy for PSC in the Parliament of Catalonia in the legislatures of 1995, 1999 and 2003. In 2004 he was appointed director and later president of the Audiovisual Council of Catalonia (CAC). From 2011 to 2019 he chaired the Joan Maragall Foundation, which was created to promote dialogue between Christianity and culture. Since 2015, he has been a member of the Board of Directors of Información y Comunicación de Barcelona SA Spm, the managing entity of BTV and Barcelona FM.

He has written several books, notably "El primer Poder" (Mina 2008), "El futur de la comunicació" (UOC, 2012), Creure encara? (Vienna, 2016).