The CERN recently created a Chief Information Officer position at the strategic level of its leadership, to which you were appointed. Why was it necessary to elevate the IT function to this strategic level?
Digital coherence within the CERN has become a scientific necessity. We are facing a data explosion: at the end of Run 3, we have already exceeded an exabyte of data from experiments, and with the High Luminosity LHC from 2030, this volume will be multiplied by ten. It’s not just about volume. We also consider the global technological landscape: the rise of artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, increasing cybersecurity challenges, data protection, and CERN’s strong commitment to open science. The CERN already has significant expertise in these areas, but often in a fragmented manner at the level of individual experiments. In a highly complex environment, the director-general felt the need for a cross-cutting vision covering strategy, risks, governance, partnerships, and procurement. The CIO’s role is to align digital investments and priorities with scientific priorities. Today, digital is no longer just a support function – it is an essential scientific infrastructure.
In your role as CIO, what are the most common concrete trade-offs between technological innovation, system stability, and risk management on a daily basis?
The CIO plays a balancing act. The CERN thrives on autonomy and distributed excellence. I am not looking to centralize strong skills in departments or within experiment-driven teams but to coordinate them at a transversal level. I call it “freedom within a framework”: freedom to innovate within a framework of stability and risk management. This requires clear governance, shared infrastructure, and common standards, especially for data management. A concrete example is the development of AI-assisted code. The potential gains are real, for both research and lab management, but the risks are significant if these tools are not properly validated and integrated. Innovation should enhance the scientific reliability of the CERN, never compromise it.
How does the IT governance of an international scientific organization like CERN pose different challenges from those encountered in other large organizations?
According to me, there are two main types of CIOs: hierarchical CIOs and foundation-based CIOs. CERN clearly falls into the latter category. In more hierarchical organizations, the CIO is often focused on cost savings, standardization, and rationalization. At CERN, with over 18,000 researchers from 110 nationalities working in institutes worldwide, it is impossible to enforce a centralized model. We must create a foundation that allows everyone to innovate while working together. It’s a balance between central coordination and scientific flexibility. The Worldwide LHC Computing Grid is a good example of this: very different centers working together under common rules.
For the 2026-2030 period, what are the key priorities of CERN’s IT strategy and how does IT concretely contribute to achieving the organization’s scientific objectives?
The 2026-2030 period will be marked by a long shutdown from July 2026 to prepare for the High Luminosity LHC and modernize detectors. In parallel, we must also prepare for future accelerators. There is no isolated IT strategy: IT must support CERN’s overall strategy. We are finalizing several foundational elements, including an AI strategy, to make clear choices about what we develop and what we choose not to. We must remain agile as we do not yet know all the technological challenges ahead. Data volumes will significantly increase, requiring robust, scalable, and secure platforms.
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