About the Speaker
Francis’ main interest lies in developing vision, conceptual design and strategy for sustainable digitalisation of the economy, with a focus on effective measurement. His immediate aim is to design and drive concrete, feasible measures with transformational power, e.g. global, public-good digital infrastructure to make the system adequately measurable and more efficient. Starting in 2006 he initiated the movement that led to the G20-backed Global Legal Entity Identifier System, where he serves on the Regulatory Oversight Committee.
Before joining the ECB in 2001, Francis spent fifteen years in automotive, eight at Mercedes, working on globalisation.
He holds an engineering degree from École Centrale, Paris, and an MBA from Henley Management College, UK
In his free time, Francis coaches athletes for javelin throwing, including the current decathlon world champion.