Today, 16th March 2023, Agnès Diallo, the new Executive Director of eu-LISA takes office. Ms Diallo was appointed by the Agency's Management Board in its decision of January 12th 2023.
"I am honored and thrilled to begin my journey with eu-LISA. The Agency's role is crucial to improve freedom, security and justice within the Union through better and more resilient information systems, that serve the needs of citizens in a safe and attractive Europe.
I feel privileged to be joining the professional eu-LISA teams and very much look forward to working closely with them. I am particularly enthused by our road together towards building eu-LISA's next chapter, tackling current challenges and leveraging the many exciting opportunities ahead.
I would also like to express my sincere thanks to the Deputy Executive Director, Luca Tagliaretti, for his work as Interim Executive Director over the past months, and to the entire management team for supporting him through this period.
I am confident that together, as one eu-LISA, we will continue to successfully raise the bar, building upon eu-LISA's amazing track record, to ever better achieve the Agency's missions" said Agnès Diallo, Executive Director of eu-LISA.
Ms Diallo has over 20 years of experience, supporting government level institutions and private sector organisations in France and across Europe on their most pressing operational and technological challenges. A seasoned large-scale IT systems professional with a proven track record, she has led the development and management of numerous reference European IT systems, fully compliant with GDPR and cyber-security imperatives.
From 2019, as an Executive Vice-President and a member of the Executive Committee at IN Groupe, a European leader in digital identity solutions, she was responsible for Business Performance and Strategy. Prior to that, she was General Manager for Digital Services. She has also held a number of senior management positions with global IT company ATOS and was an Associate Principal with McKinsey & Company for many years.
Ms Diallo holds a degree in Political Science from the
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris, a master's degree in Business Administration from Essec Business School and a master's degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.
eu-LISA's governance structure
eu-LISA's governance structure comprises a Management Board, an Executive Director and Advisory Groups. The Management Board is composed of representatives of EU Member States, Schengen Associated Countries and the European Commission. Eurojust, Europol, Frontex and the EPPO are also represented on the board. The role of the Management Board is to ensure that the Agency delivers tasks and results as stipulated in the Agency's establishing regulation in the most cost-effective way, taking into account the strategic goals and objectives of the Agency. The Advisory Groups are composed of experts from EU Member States, Schengen Associated Countries, the European Commission and other EU Institutions. Their role is to provide their respective Programme Management Board (PMB), and the eu-LISA Management Board, with technical expertise and advice regarding the evolution and further development of eu-LISA's large-scale IT systems.
eu-LISA currently employs 325 staff, who are divided into departments, units and sectors, mainly working out of the headquarters in Tallinn and the operational site in Strasbourg.
Background
The European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) was established in 2011 in order to provide a long-term solution for the EU internal security and to support the implementation of asylum, migration and border management policies. The Agency's revised establishing Regulation entered into force on 11 December 2018, expanding eu-LISA's mandate to further improve, design and develop information systems in the area of internal security, border management and judicial cooperation. The revised mandate also broadened the Agency's scope of work on research, innovation, testing, enabling the possibility to support the delivery of pilot projects and proofs of concept.
Currently, eu-LISA manages the Schengen Information System (SIS), the Visa Information System (VIS) and the European Asylum Dactyloscopy Database (Eurodac). These systems are the cornerstones of the smooth functioning of the Schengen Area. At the EU's external borders, they are critical for ensuring the efficiency of border management, and the implementation of the EU's common asylum, migration and visa policies. Within the Schengen Area, ensuring continuous availability of the EU's JHA information systems is essential for guaranteeing the freedom of movement of EU citizens and residents, while also supporting internal security across the Union.
Under its expanded mandate, eu-LISA is also developing the Entry/Exit System (EES), the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), the centralised system for the identification of Member States holding conviction information on third-country nationals and stateless persons (ECRIS-TCN), and new components that will make up the
interoperability architecture of the JHA information systems under eu-LISA's purview.
The latest addition to eu-LISA portfolio,
e-CODEX, is a decentralised IT system that provides a secure solution for cross-border exchange of judiciary data, thus allowing all Member States to use a single interface to communicate with each other. Once fully integrated into the Agency's portfolio, e-CODEX will be a key building block in the further digitalisation of the justice domain.
The headquarters of eu-LISA are located in Tallinn, Estonia, whilst its operational centre is in Strasbourg, France. There is also a technical business continuity site based in Sankt Johann im Pongau, Austria and a Liaison Office in Brussels, Belgium.
This Press Release is also available in Estonian, French and German.
