Mark Thomson, Director-General

British experimental particle physicist Mark Thomson is CERN’s Director-General from 2026 to 2030. In the video interview below, he answers questions about where particle physics stands today, his priorities for the next five years, the main challenges he foresees, his management style and how he spends his downtime.
Find out more about Mark Thomson.

Oliver Brüning, Director for Accelerators and Technology

German accelerator physicist and former leader of the High-Luminosity LHC project Oliver Brüning has taken the helm of the Accelerators and Technology (ATS) Sector as CERN prepares to enter the upcoming long shutdown (LS3). The ATS Sector includes four departments: Beams (BE), Engineering (EN), Accelerator Systems (SY) and Technology (TE).
Find out more about Oliver Brüning.

Gautier Hamel de Monchenault, Director for Research and Computing: 

French particle physicist and former spokesperson of the CMS experiment Gautier Hamel de Monchenault now leads the Research and Computing (RCS) Sector, which consists of three departments: Experimental Physics (EP), Information Technology (IT) and Theoretical Physics (TH).
Find out more about Gautier Hamel de Monchenault.

Ursula Bassler, Director for Stakeholder Relations

German and French particle physicist and former President of the CERN Council Ursula Bassler joins CERN to lead the Stakeholder Relations (SR) Sector, which comprises the Stakeholder Engagement (SR-SE) and Education, Communications and Outreach (SR-ECO) Groups.
Find out more about Ursula Bassler.

Jan-Paul Brouwer, Director for Finance and Human Resources

Originating from the Netherlands and bringing with him a wealth of experience in HR and finance at various international and academic organisations, including the European Commission and the European Parliament, Jan-Paul Brouwer joins CERN to lead the Finance and Human Resources (FHR) Sector, which comprises three departments: Finance and Administrative Processes (FAP), Human Resources (HR) and Industry, Procurement and Knowledge Transfer (IPT).
Find out more about Jan-Paul Brouwer.

Mar Capeáns, Director for Site Operations

Spanish particle physicist and former Site and Civil Engineering Department Head Mar Capeáns nowtransitions to leading the new Site Operations (SO) Sector, in a role similar to that of a traditional Chief Operating Officer (COO). The sector includes three departments: Health, Safety and Environmental Protection (HSE) (whose Department Head reports directly to the Director-General), the new Organisational Support and Improvement (OSI) Department and Site and Civil Engineering (SCE).
Find out more about Mar Capeáns.

Enrica Porcari, Chief Information Officer

Originally from Italy, Enrica Porcari was previously Head of the Information Technology Department and now takes up the new role of Chief Information Officer (CIO), responsible for steering the Organization’s information technology strategy, governance and policy. This encompasses areas such as cybersecurity, data privacy and cross-organisational initiatives such as artificial intelligence (AI) and relevant external partnerships.  
Find out more about Enrica Porcari.

Video interview with CERN’s Director-General, Mark Thomson, in February 2026. (Video: CERN)