Stéphane Decoutère
Born in Brussels in 1960, Mr Decoutère moved to his mother’s native Switzerland in 1970. A geographer and sociologist by training, he began his career in 1985 by working simultaneously in science and communications, notably through positions at the University of Fribourg and EPFL, the Swiss Institute of Technology in Lausanne and in the private sector; he also served as a scientific advisor on public management to the cantonal government in Valais (one of the 26 cantons comprising the Swiss federation) from 1996 to 2000. Mr Decoutère was then directly involved in developing Switzerland’s educational, research and innovation policy, both nationally and internationally. In December 2000, he joined the Swiss federal administration and became the personal advisor to Eric Fumeaux, the Director of the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology and President of the Swiss Innovation Agency (CTI-Innosuisse). In June 2005, he was appointed personal advisor to Pascal Couchepin, Federal Councillor and the Swiss Minister of Education, Research, Culture, Health and Social Affairs, as well as President of the Swiss Confederation in 2003 and 2008. In May 2010, after having advised Mr Couchepin’s successor, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, during his first months in office, Mr Decoutère joined EPFL to work with its presidents – first Patrick Aebischer and then Martin Vetterli – as Head of External and Governmental Affairs to the EPFL President. He was appointed Secretary General of GESDA in June 2019, and Secretary General of the Board and Chief Strategy Officer in October 2022.
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