Laurent Bontoux

Senior Foresight for Policy Expert at European Commission Joint Research Centre

Brussels Metropolitan Area

About

Experienced Senior Foresight Expert with a demonstrated history of working in government and industry, especially in Sustainable Development, Environment & Health issues and Water Resource Management (typical 'wicked problems'). My career has taken place mostly at the science-policy interface. Over the last few years, I have focused on developing and applying innovative foresight approaches to help people deepen their understanding of complex issues to support strategy development and decision making. The views expressed here are my own.

Experience

  • Senior Foresight for Policy Expert at European Commission Joint Research Centre
    Mar 2021 - Present · 5 yrs 4 mos

  • European Commission (9 yrs 6 mos)
    • Member of Cabinet for Vice-President Sefcovic
      Jul 2020 - Mar 2021 · 9 mos

      Cabinet member in charge of foresight

    • Senior Foresight Expert
      Jun 2014 - Jul 2020 · 6 yrs 2 mos

      As member of the EU Policy Lab, disseminate the lessons from a large foresight study on eco-industries and engage with stakeholders on the transition to a sustainable economy. This entailed developing a serious game that has been used by EU policy makers to assess the future evolution of their role and of the effect of EU policy on industrial innovation. More applications of foresight and serious gaming in the field of EU environmental policy and for stakeholder engagement are being developed. Responsible for a project on the future of industry at EU level, engaging with industry to develop long-term visions as a way to identify challenges and opportunities so as to help SMEs engage in strategic thinking and feed strategic intelligence into EU policy making. Engaged in developing a long-term vision for the "sharing economy" in the EU. Horizon scanning. All this work is performed on demand from various services of the European Commission.

    • Senior Policy Analyst
      May 2012 - Jul 2020 · 8 yrs 3 mos

      Scientific advice to policy, foresight, environment, energy, sustainable development, future of manufacturing, transition to a sustainable economy Led a foresight study on eco-industries, developed a serious game on the basis of scenarios for the transition to a more sustainable economy

  • Scientific and Policy Officer at European Commission, DG SANCO
    Dec 2007 - Aug 2011 · 3 yrs 9 mos

    Manage Working Groups of the independent Scientific Committee for Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) Manage the EC policy and stakeholder relations on the potential public health effects of electromagnetic fields Feed scientific evidence into the EC policies on nanomaterials and antimicrobial resistance Engage with stakeholders on nanomaterials Develop an approach to monitor emerging threats to health

  • European Commission, Joint Research Centre (14 yrs 3 mos)
    • Programme Officer
      Feb 2001 - Oct 2007 · 6 yrs 9 mos

      Strategic planning, programme management, strategic development and internal coordination of the thematic priorities of the scientific programme across the Directorate General, project evaluation

    • Scientific Officer
      Sep 1998 - May 2001 · 2 yrs 9 mos

      Evaluate project proposals and manage research projects Organise calls for research on a range of issues related to food and environment and health (olive oil, electromagnetic fields, endocrine active compounds, hormones in beef, etc)

    • Scientific Officer
      Aug 1993 - Sep 1998 · 5 yrs 2 mos

      Technology foresight, development of a prototype technology observatory, technology watch in environmental technologies, green accounting, recycling technologies, strategic studies for the European Parliament on the European waste legislation, &wastewater reuse, environment and health issues

  • Environmental Safety Scientist at Procter & Gamble
    1990 - 1993 · 3 yrs

    Assessment of the environmental safety profile of household products