François Houllier reappointed as head of Ifremer for a new term of office

François Houllier is reappointed head of Ifremer for a new term in the Council of Ministers on February 17, 2021.

On the proposal of the Ifremer Board of Directors, which met on December 10, 2020, François Houllier has just been officially appointed by decree President and CEO of Ifremer for the next 5 years.

More committed than ever to the life of Ifremer and to the development of marine science and technology, François Houllier, CEO of the institute since September 2018, has naturally put himself forward as a candidate to succeed him. At its meeting on December 10, 2020, the Board of Directors proposed his candidacy to the government.

François Houllier, Chairman and CEO of Ifremer: "At the dawn of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), I hope that Ifremer, as a reference institute in ocean sciences, will be the guarantor of a beautiful, useful and shared science. I would like to use the term "beautiful" to extend the adventure of ocean exploration and to understand, in all their complexity, the ecology and uses of marine, coastal and littoral ecosystems. "Useful" to respond to the curiosity and desire for commitment of citizens, to satisfy the need for scientific and technical expertise in support of public policies, to give substance to the potential for innovation and the promise of solutions in the blue economy, and to fully integrate marine research into sustainable development. And finally "shared" because ethics, dialogue and participatory science are the cornerstones of awareness of ocean issues and action by all stakeholders in society".

Its application is part of the 2030 Institute project and the contract of objectives and performance (COP 2019-2023) signed with the State on June 8, 2020. It sets 4 orientations that will guide its action:

Openness to society, considered in all its dimensions;
A strong scientific ambition: to predict the evolution of the ocean in a context of global changes and to enlighten public policies on the uses and conservation of this great common good;
The development of a culture of innovation and the revival of partnerships with companies;
The affirmation of Ifremer's capacity to catalyze national, European or global initiatives in marine science and technology.

The start of this mandate coincides with the launch of the Horizon Europe programme and the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development, in which François Houllier wishes to fully involve Ifremer.

It also coincides with the beginning of the implementation of the research programming law, which will improve the attractiveness of scientific careers and will provide additional resources for marine research.

Its project builds on the achievements of the last two years. In particular, it aims to implement the three major investment plans validated on October 8, 2020 by the Board of Directors: a large-scale real estate renovation plan; programming the modernization and renewal of the French oceanographic fleet; and an exceptional investment plan that the recent success of the Equipex+ call for projects under the Future Investment Program (PIA) will complete. The co-piloting, with the CNRS, of the priority ocean research program, announced at the end of 2019 by the President of the Republic, is also a central element of his project.