Dr Simona Milio is a Partner at Technopolis Group and Senior Fellow at LUISS Guido Carlo Univeristy, a recognised leader in European public policy, with over 25 years of experience spanning academia, policy research, and high-level strategic advisory.

Her expertise covers regional and cohesion policy, social policy, education and skills, and digital transformation, with a strong track record in designing, implementing, and evaluating large-scale EU programmes. Throughout her career, she has led some of the most complex comparative studies and evaluations for the European Commission, combining methodological rigour with strategic insight to inform decision-making at EU and national levels. 

Before joining Technopolis, Dr Milio was Senior Director and EU Market Lead at ICF, where she managed a multi-milion consulting portfolio and led over 100 major assignments across multiple policy domains. In this role, she oversaw multidisciplinary teams of up to 70 experts, drove business growth, and strengthened client relationships with key Directorates-General, including DG EMPL, DG REGIO, and DG CONNECT. Her leadership combined operational excellence with a strong focus on innovation, including the integration of advanced analytical approaches and data-driven methodologies into policy evaluation.

Dr Milio’s career began in academia at the London School of Economics and Political Science, where she spent over 15 years and earned her PhD in European Political Economy. She held senior roles within LSE Enterprise, including leading the Social and Cohesion Policy Unit, where she was responsible for developing and delivering high-profile research and consultancy projects for European institutions. Her academic work has contributed significantly to debates on European governance, regional development, and social cohesion, with an extensive portfolio of books, peer-reviewed publications, and policy studies. 

In parallel to her consulting work, she remains actively engaged in academia as Senior Fellow at LUISS Guido Carli University and Associate at LSE, contributing to teaching, mentoring, and thought leadership. She is a frequent speaker at high-level policy forums and has contributed to shaping discussions on Europe’s strategic priorities, including resilience, competitiveness, and the future of cohesion policy.

Across all her roles, Dr Milio has built a reputation for strategic leadership, intellectual depth, and delivery at scale. She is particularly recognised for her ability to translate complex evidence into actionable policy solutions, to lead large and diverse teams, and to position policy research as a driver of real-world impact. Her work reflects a strong commitment to advancing effective, inclusive, and forward-looking public policies across Europe.