Francis Gross is Senior Adviser in the Directorate General Statistics of the European Central Bank.

Francis’ work pursues one goal: effective measurement of the economic and financial system as technology keeps growing exponentially, a necessary condition for control and stability – name it “sustainable digitalisation”.

He focuses on two interfaces: (1) globally integrated, fast, tightly coupled economic system vs. fragmented, slow regulatory system, (2) “real” world vs. data world, the core of digitalisation. His method: (1) identify constraints and specifications for effective measurement dictated by technology, (2) develop conceptual systemic design that can work sustainably and (3) propose migration paths and concrete, feasible measures with transformational power that can deliver.

Proposals include a global, public-good, digital infrastructure (possibly managed by a new, technical, international institution) making the system adequately measurable, safer, and more efficient, building on the Global LEI System as a first step.

2006 Francis initiated the movement that led to the G20-backed Global Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) System, where he served on the Regulatory Oversight Committee. Before joining the ECB in 2001, Francis spent fifteen years in automotive, eight at Mercedes, working on globalisation.

He holds an engineering degree from École Centrale, Paris, and an MBA from Henley Management College, UK

In his free time, Francis coaches athletes for javelin throwing, including the former World and current European champion in the decathlon.