Hervé Floch, a chemical engineer by training (Master’s degree in Chemistry, specialising in nuclear chemistry, Faculty of Sciences of Orsay – Paris-Saclay University), began his career at the CEA in 1985.

He headed several laboratories, notably those dedicated to Sol-Gel optical coatings and micro-targets for laser-matter interaction, before leading the development and production of optics for the Laser Mégajoule under the Simulation Programme. Since 2016, he has led the ALPHA – Route des Lasers & Hyperfréquences competitiveness cluster (ALPHA-RLH), after serving from 2011 as Director of the Route des Lasers cluster before its merger with Elopsys.

With more than 40 years of experience at the CEA, he holds seven international patents and is the author of 60 scientific publications. He chairs the Europe Committee of the French Association of Competitiveness Clusters (AFPC) and the European Cluster Labelling Excellence Structure (EUCLES).

He is also Vice-President of the European Clusters Alliance. A recipient of the international Ulrich Prize (1993) and the CEA Technology Transfer Prize (1994), he now brings his expertise in photonics and microwave innovation to industrial competitiveness, including deeptech, and to cooperation between laboratories, industry and the armed forces.