Bio:

Jean-René Lèquepeys received an engineering degree in 1983 from CentraleSupélec, a top French graduate engineering school at Paris-Saclay University, France. He taught physics during 2 years in Ouarzazate, Morocco.

He joined CEA, a French Research and Technology Office focusing on applied research, in Paris Saclay in 1985. He first worked at the laboratory of the Central Security Office, on the evaluation of means of detection and intrusion. Two years later, he was promoted head of this laboratory.

In 1993, he moved to Grenoble, France, and joined the System Division of CEA-Leti. He worked on different projects in the field of image processing and telecommunication technologies. In particular, he was responsible for the "Telecom, Communicating Objects and Smart Card" programs from 1999 to 2004.

In 2005, he took the responsibility of the Circuits Design Division at CEA-Leti (200 people). He launched new research activities at CEA such as a new laboratory in Aix-en-Provence, France, on the development of secured chips. In 2000, Jean-René Lèquepeys received the prestigious award from the french Société de l'Electricité, de l'Electronique et des technologies de l'information et de la communication (SEE) "Grand Prix de l'électronique Général Ferrié" for his work in the telecommunications field (he holds 15 patents).

In 2010, he launched a new division at CEA focusing on Electronic Architectures, Integrated Circuit Design and Embedded Software. He established the structure on two sites (Paris and Grenoble) and led the division twice in his career.

He rapidly got involved in the creation of the Silicon Components Division at CEA-Leti, and took the lead of it in 2011 managing 350 people. Division encompasses micro and nanoelectronics (SOI, nanodots, quantum, memories, 3D technologies, substrates), Micro Systems (sensor, actuator, radiofrequency components) and Power Components. He established the French Nano2022 Program for research funding in microelectronics.

In 2019, he was appointed Chief Technology Officer of CEA-Leti, overseeing Science, relations with the European Commission, Industrial Partnership and Strategic Program Management in the scope of the institute (2,000 people, ~€350m budget).  He took the responsibility of the Microelectronic Program at CEA level, spearheading technological and upstream research in the field of semiconductor technologies. For the past 2 years, he has been strongly involved in the CEA-Leti Next Gen FD-SOI project in the frame of France2030 and has played a key role in European chips Act pilot line promoting FD-SOI and Gate All Around technologies.

Having dedicated his career to applied research, he is regularly invited as a keynote speaker in international semiconductor conferences.

Jean-René is also Vice President of ACSIEL, a professional trade union gathering industrial companies in the French electronic value chain, member of the Board of EPOSS, the European Technology Platform on Smart Systems Integration, a member of the Board of AENEAS, the Association for Europoean NanoElectronics Activities, and an expert consultant for the European Commission and French Research Agency