The plenary session of Consell convened in Alicante this past Friday yielded a notable personnel decision: the dismissal of the Director-General for Science and Research, Angel Antonio Carbonell, at the government’s request. Sources from the Ministry of Innovation, Universities, Science and Digital Society indicate that carbonell’s departure from the organizational chart was driven by personal reasons rather than policy disagreements. This move aligns with the Botànic Government’s broader drive toward decentralizing research institutions and strengthening regional autonomy within the Valencian administration. Within the current governance landscape, the ministry responsible for innovation stands out as a central hub in the state’s structure, maintaining a main office that reflects the ministry’s long-term commitment to science and digital transformation. Since the start of this legislature, it has been among the autonomous departments that have experienced several leadership transitions, signaling a period of strategic realignment and organizational evolution across the Valencian public sector.
The search to appoint Carbonell’s successor as head of general management, a role he has held since July 2020, is expected to unfold in the coming days. Caroline Pascual has emerged as the leading candidate for this post; she previously occupied the helm in the same capacity until May of this year. As part of the substantial restructuring initiated by the Generalitat under the leadership of Ximo Puig, Josep Jo Good He, a socialist senator, was named as the new minister in charge of this domain, reinforcing the government’s intent to refresh senior leadership and align strategic priorities with the region’s development goals. The reshuffle reflects a deliberate effort to streamline governance, improve coordination across departments, and bolster the effectiveness of innovation policies at a time of rapid technological change and enhanced competition in research and digital services.
There has also been a notable change in the department’s second tier of leadership. In September 2020, Veronica Lopez, formerly the Chief Justice, was appointed as the new undersecretary of the Innovation Department, stepping into the role after Pepe Villar left office due to concerns raised about governance practices within the department. This replacement signaled a focus on strengthening oversight, accountability, and strategic execution as the ministry intensifies its push toward modernizing public services through innovation and digital transformation. Lopez’s appointment expanded the department’s leadership team, positioning it to implement cross-cutting initiatives that aim to boost research uptake, attract talent, and improve collaboration with universities and industry partners in the Valencian community.
In May 2021, the leadership changes continued as Peter Pernias, then the managing director of the Advancement of the Digital Society, transitioned to become the new Regional Innovation Director for Valencia. He was succeeded in that post by Juan Ignacio Torregrosa, the former director of the Alcoy campus of Valencia Polytechnic University. This sequence of appointments underscores the government’s strategy to leverage internal talent with direct ties to regional academic and research ecosystems, fostering stronger alignment between policy design and the on-the-ground realities of Valencian innovation. The ongoing realignment also included a September reshuffle in which Marian Campello, formerly the regional deputy aligned with Compromís, took over as the new regional secretary for Innovation and Digital Transformation following Jordi Juan’s resignation. Campello had previously served as a deputy in the Valencian Courts and contributed as an advisor to the Presidency of the Autonomous Parliament before consolidating her current role, marking a continued emphasis on integrating regional political leadership with the region’s digital and innovation agenda. The changes reflect the administration’s intention to sustain momentum in transforming public services and expanding the role of technology in governance across Valencia, while maintaining a steady course through the broader national conversations about decentralization and research funding.