Didier Houssin , Directorate of Energy Markets and Security, International Energy Agency (IEA), Paris

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Didier Houssin was appointed Director of the Office of Oil Markets and Emergency Preparedness at the International Energy Agency on 16 July 2007.  On 1 September 2008, the Office was expanded and renamed to become the Directorate of Energy Markets and Security.

Mr. Houssin, a French national, was Managing Director of BRGM, the French Geological Survey where, since 2004, he had extensive management responsibilities over the 850-strong group.  Among other matters, he was involved at BRGM in carbon capture and sequestration and in geothermal energy.

Prior to joining BRGM, Mr. Houssin was the former Director of Energy and Mineral Resources in the French Ministry of Economy between 1997 and 2004.  In this capacity, he was the French delegate for numerous IEA activities, notably as Chairman of the Standing Group on Emergency Questions (SEQ) at the time of preparation of emergency action plans in 2003.  From 1987 to 1990, he was seconded for three years to Total, where he dealt in particular with European energy matters.  He also held several positions in the French Ministry of Industry dealing with financial and European affairs.

Mr. Houssin graduated from the Ecole Nationale d'Administration and has a Masters in International Law.  He also has Degrees in Philosophy from Université de Paris 1 - La Sorbonne and in Political Science from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris.