Francis Baud

Francis Baud started his studies in Computer Science in 1983 at the University of Geneva (Faculty of Sciences). After achieving his Master in Computer Sciences, he starts to work as project manager on software development for finance on futures and equities. Since 1989, he has worked as an independent consultant for international organizations, multinational companies and private banking, mainly for project management and IT organization. In 1997, he founded his own company to achieve important projects for software development in telecommunication and ERP systems.

When starting his consultancy in 1989, he has joined ASSPA association, which became SISR in 1991, the French part of Swiss Informatics Society (SI). Member of committee since the beginning, he has been president from 1997 to 2004. He was elected as President of Swiss Informatics Society nation-wide in 2020. Since his presidency, he has reorganized and re-position the society for a good future. He has developed links with the Swiss government with e-ID project, and promote good relations with several societies abroad.

He has been Swiss representative in CEPIS since 2020, and also the Swiss representative in IFIP since 2023. He represents IFIP for relations and discussions with UN organizations relations.

Francis is interested in the certification and recognition of IT diplomas, bringing together IT professionals, and growing the network of Swiss IT professionals, but not limited to Switzerland.  He is involved in the project “IT Expert SI”, which deliver a certification of expert in a specific field of IT and promote continuous education. In this scope, he is working in IT regulations and laws with the Swiss government. On international level, he is member of IFIP IP3 (IT Professionalism).

Thanks to his position of SI president, he is in very good relationship with Academia and Research within all universities and professional IT schools in Switzerland, which makes possible to establish the link between the business and academic world.

His goal is to have the IT profession recognized and protected by Swiss government.

The certification of users’ IT skills (ICDL project) is also important to him, and he has structured SI to manage the responsibilities for a better management and representation of the ICDL in Switzerland.

In parallel, he continues to manage his company and projects for several customers to keep reality of the market in mind.

According to all the certifications and diplomas delivered, Francis is thinking that Bloxberg project is one key element of the solution for the digitalized document for a long-term validation and reference. In Swiss Informatics Society, he is managing to open a project for an application for ICDL certificates and for IT Expert SI certificates.