François KERN is a French architect and urban planner, co-founder and co-director of the firm KERN + ASSOCIÉS, Architecture and Urban Planning. A DPLG architect, graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Marseille in 1987, and an urban planner trained at the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in 1997, he has established himself as a leading figure in contemporary Mediterranean urbanism. After seventeen years of independent practice, he partnered in 2004 with Anne CASTANET to found his current firm, which he directs with Anne IACAZIO and Matthieu SALVARESI, architect-urbanists. Under his leadership, the agency has developed a distinctive cross-disciplinary approach linking architecture, urban planning, and landscape. His method is based on a stratigraphic reading of sites, combining respect for the memory of places with anticipation of their future uses. His expertise, particularly recognized in coastal and port-area development, is reflected in major international projects in Argentina and Australia, as well as significant works in the Mediterranean and along the French Atlantic coast. An active member of the International Association Cities and Ports (AIVP), his projects have received prestigious awards
Ivan Martin, General Engineer for Bridges, Water and Forests, was appointed Chief Executive of the Port of Bordeaux last April, following a career spanning more than thirty years dedicated to regional development, spatial planning and infrastructure.
Previously, he served as Director General for Territories and the Sea (DGTM) in French Guiana, leading a decentralized State administration of 450 staff responsible for implementing major public policies in the areas of spatial planning, transport infrastructure, ecological transition, agriculture, forestry, maritime affairs, coastal management and inland waterways. He also served as Vice-Chair of the Board of the French Guiana Public Land and Development Agency and sat on the Supervisory Board of the Port of French Guiana. Earlier in his career, he held several senior management positions in mainland France and on Réunion Island within State services, local authorities and a private engineering consultancy, building recognized expertise in the delivery of major development projects, risk management, and the operation and modernization of transport infrastructure.
An experienced executive with an in-depth understanding of territorial challenges, Ivan Martin now brings his expertise to the development of the Port of Bordeaux, a strategic player in the region's economy and ecological transition. His mission is to continue transforming Bordeaux's port model through the implementation of the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, whose priorities include increasing freight volumes for the benefit of the region, attracting companies involved in the energy transition, expanding green energy production, modernizing port infrastructure and services, pursuing a dynamic land management policy, and delivering major strategic projects.
After more than 25 years of experience at Bilbao City Council, in various senior roles and with a particular dedication to improving neighborhoods, especially the hilltop neighborhoods, he has been the CEO of BILBAO Ría 2000 for the past year and a half, the leading organization in the transformation of Metropolitan Bilbao. His last role at the Bilbao municipal government was coordinating the Strategic Projects Office, where he worked on the city’s most important transformations, especially the strategy for the Bilbao estuary and its development, as well as railway projects. Today, at BILBAO Ría 2000, he leads the advancement of complex metropolitan Bilbao projects through all stages: vision, planning, design, and execution.
Isabelle Vries works as General Manager at the Rotterdam Makers District, a development program of the municipality and Port Authority, with the aim of transformation of former port areas RDM and MerweVierhavens (M4H). The executing office is responsible for communications, branding, sales, innovation programs and events for public and businesses. But the most energy takes the physical transition of the area ‘Merwe/Vierhavens’- M4H. M4H will be transformed into a district for innovative and creative manufacturers and their service providers, including housing and leisure. Rotterdam Makers District also includes the further development of RDM Rotterdam, the former dry dock area, which is turned into a campus for innovative businesses, knowledge institutes and educational institutes.Before, Isabelle worked as senior advisor Corporate Strategy at the Port of Rotterdam Authority and as program manager of the Port Vision 2030. Until 2015 she was associate professor of applied sciences at the Rotterdam University. In 2016 she was curator and partner of the International Conference of Cities and Ports of the AIVP, entitled “Cross-Overs”. She published frequently on port planning, port city relationship and port city governance. She was co-author of the book “Port of Rotterdam, from City to Sea” (2015, NAi010 publishers).Further headlines of her professional career: Manager division Environment and Spatial Planning at Public Works of Rotterdam (until 2002) and Project manager Port Plan 2020 (2002-2004)She has two Master degrees: Master City Developer at Erasmus University Rotterdam and Master Environmental Sciences at Wageningen University.
