Hughes Metras has been appointed director of the National Program Agency for Components, Systems and Digital Infrastructures (ASIC) on September 15th, 2025. Previously, he led the IRT Nanoelec, a consortium of industrial and academic members, conducting research in the field of 3D stacking technologies, silicon photonics and embedded components. He also spent 6 years in California, as VP of strategic partnerships for the US region where he established Cea Leti’s commercial office in 2011. He benefits from a technical background in Physics engineering (Ecole Centrale de Marseille) and holds an MBA from the University of Miami (Florida).
The program Agency ASIC has been created 2 years ago to build a strategic vision for the french research ecosystem in the field of HW technologies from material science and engineering to components, systems and network + compute infrastructures. The agency is launching three programs adressing challenges in the fields of (i) AI Accelerators, (ii) IC design methodologies and (iii) Packaging through the engagement of academic and technology research communities.