Didier Kechemair

About Didier Kechemair

Dr Didier Kechemair was the Executive Deputy-Director of the International Affairs Division in the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) from 2003 to 2010. His responsibilities included access to civilian nuclear technologies for “newcomer” countries and development of international relations for renewable energies technologies. Previously, as Deputy Director for External Relations in CEA’s Military Application Division (2001-2003), he had promoted partnerships with academic research and industry around large facilities (Lasers and Plasmas Institute, High Performance Computing). As CEA’s Strategy and Evaluation Director (2000-2001), he had responsibility of coaching a 55 young managers prospective group “CEA 2020”.

He was staff member of France’s Minister of Research and Technology (1997-2000, advisor on space, aeronautics, energy, and environment). In the Research and Technology General Directorate (1994-1997), he launched a joint funding procedure between civilian and defence R&D focused on innovation in SMEs. He was Deputy Director of the first joint research unit created in 1989 between French Armament General Directorate (DGA) and CNRS to develop industrial applications of High Power Lasers to materials processing. He his author of scientific publications and co-owner of several patents with industrial partners. He received MSc-engineer diploma from Ecole Polytechnique (1982) and from Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Techniques Avancées (ENSTA 1984), then PhD from Paris XI Orsay University (Optics and Lasers, 1989).

He created Didier Kechemair Consultant in 2012 with following personal convictions:

• to answer in a sustainable way to the challenge of providing electricity to the largest number, especially in developing countries, there is no « one size fits all »: nuclear, renewables, and energy efficiency are to be considered together as complementary options
• local human resources and skills development, as well as citizen’s literacy, are key to succeed in the long term for energy projects.

Since 2011, as an Independent Consultant, he has been working for International Atomic Energy Agency (leading expert for development of training materials for Regulatory Body in newcomer countries); for French-Japan Exchange Committee of Paris Chamber of Commerce (future energy mixes in France and Japan); and for industry (in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for a large engineering group, SME’s in Waste to Energy and in Energy Efficiency with focus on challenges for SME’s regarding export). As special advisor for Civic Exchange, a Think-Tank in Hong-Kong, he received a “Success Story Award” in 2012 from Hong-Kong Trade and Development Council for his contribution on research project “Increasing Hong Kong Nuclear Literacy”.

Dr. Didier Kechemair is lecturer on Energy strategy issues (nuclear, renewables, energy efficiency, energy mix policies, stakeholders and consumers behaviour impact, countries energy profiles especially in Asia) in Paris II Pantheon-Assas University (Defence and Industrial Dynamics Master, ISAD), ENSTA, National Defence and Security High Studies Institute (IHEDN), INSTN (Nuclear Sciences and Technology Institute), Baptist University Hong-Kong, Energy Studies Institute of National University Singapore (in Sustainable Cities Forum, Oct. 2012, Key-note speaker).

Dr. Didier Kechemair received French distinctions in the National Merit Order and in the Order of the Legion of Honour. He is Member of several independent Consultant Networks (Arclès, X-Mines Consult International).