Paris, 15 January 2015
On 23 December 2014, the President of France nominated Sébastien Soriano for the position of Chairman of ARCEP.
In accordance with Article 13 of the Constitution, Sébastien Soriano was heard by the National Assembly Economic Affairs Committee, then by the Senate Economic Affairs Committee, on Tuesday, 13 January. Both committees pronounced themselves in favour of this appointment.
Sébastien Soriano was appointed Chairman of ARCEP for a six-year term by public decree, in the Journal Officiel of 15 January 2015. The ARCEP Executive Board is now complete.
A graduate of the École polytechnique, and a chief engineer, Sébastien Soriano, 39, spent most of his career in competition and telecoms regulation, before becoming Chief of Staff to Fleur Pellerin, then Minister responsible for SMEs, innovation and the digital economy. Mr Soriano is currently a special advisor to France's Minister of Culture and Communication, in charge of the news media sector in particular.
During his committee hearings, Sébastien Soriano voiced his desire to begin "a new cycle" of telecoms regulation, and to make the sector a more integral part of "society's and the economy's digital transformation" between now and 2020.
He also detailed the guiding principles that he would seek to promote with his fellow Board members, as head of the Authority: "competitiveness, accessibility, neutrality".
Linked documents
The decree Organisation Chart