European Atomic Forum names new president

Bertrand de L’Epinois, senior vice president for safety Standards at AREVA, recently was named the new president of the European Atomic Forum (FORATOM) for a two-year term.

L’Epinois replaces Keith Parker, chief executive of the U.K. Nuclear Industry Association. FORATOM has said past presidents remain in the organization’s leadership structure.

L’Epinois has served in his current role at AREVA since 2011 and began his career in the nuclear industry as head of the 900-megawatt reactor department with the French Nuclear Safety Authority. L’Epinois also worked at the General Directorate for Energy and Raw Materials with the French Ministry of Industry and later served as a competitiveness director, then general sonar study director, for Thales Underwater Systems.

FORATOM is an international advocacy organization for the nuclear industry throughout the European Union (EU). The organization often speaks on behalf of the nuclear industry. The group also issues position papers and other documents advocating for the recognition of nuclear energy as a source of carbon-free power and as a key component for sustainable energy generation.