Wim Hugo has been appointed as the new Head of the Secretariat of EUDAT, effective from July 2026.
He joins the EUDAT Secretariat which is responsible for the day-to-day management of the collaboration and for coordinating the development and operation of the EUDAT infrastructure. Wim brings his extensive experience in research data management, digital infrastructures, and European Open Science initiatives.
Wim Hugo currently serves as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at the EUDAT member organisation DANS, a leading research data repository and expertise centre based in The Hague, the Netherlands, where he has held the position for the past five years.
During his time at DANS, Wim has led and supported major developments in research data infrastructure, including the transition of the organisation’s repository landscape to five discipline-specific Data Stations based on Dataverse.
His work has also involved significant engagement in European Open Science Cloud (EOSC)-related projects, contributing to the development of a more connected and sustainable European research ecosystem.
Long-running contributions to EUDAT
Wim has been involved with EUDAT for several years, initially representing DANS as a member of the EUDAT Council. More recently, he has contributed to EUDAT’s strategic direction as a member of the EUDAT Executive Board. Through these roles, he has gained deep insight into EUDAT’s mission, community, and position within the European research infrastructure landscape.
Reflecting on his new role, Wim highlights the unique opportunity for EUDAT to strengthen its contribution to EOSC. He said, “EUDAT is uniquely placed to establish a portfolio of wide-ranging EOSC Node services, leveraging the fact that services are typically already provided in a national context by our members. I also foresee that the need for integrated service offerings that remove the complexity of orchestrating a variety of EOSC Node services will grow, and in my view EUDAT can be a pioneer in the establishment of such services.”
Immediate priorities
As EUDAT enters its next decade, Wim’s priorities as Head of Secretariat will focus on further strengthening EUDAT’s role in the EOSC ecosystem.
Key areas include completing the establishment of EUDAT as an EOSC Node, onboarding existing services, expanding collaboration with key stakeholders, and working towards sustainable business and cost recovery models for cross-border EOSC services.
“I look forward to creating value for our members and clients,” says Wim. “The coming years represent an important phase for EUDAT, and I am excited to contribute to its continued development and impact across Europe.”
Beyond his professional activities, Wim enjoys spending time outdoors through vegetable gardening, hiking, and cycling. He is also passionate about music and cooking.
Wim Hugo takes over from Yann Le Franc who was the EUDAT Head of the Secretariat until June 2026. EUDAT warmly welcomes Wim Hugo in his new role and looks forward to his leadership as the organisation continues to support researchers, communities, and infrastructures across Europe.
Commenting on Wim’s appointment, Outgoing Head of Secretariat Yann Le Franc said, "I have been collaborating with Wim on various projects for many years. He brings both his strong expertise in managing and developing research infrastructures and a valuable long term experience in the field that will be beneficial to support the further development and growth of EUDAT’s activities within the EOSC Federation and for our communities of users. I trust Wim to continue pursuing and operationalising the transformations I initiated within EUDAT to become one of the backbone e-Infrastructures for the European Open Science Cloud."
EUDAT Executive Board Chair Claudia Behnke said, “I’m thrilled that we’ve appointed a new Head of Secretariat with deep, long‑standing experience in our community. Thanks to Yann’s pioneering work, EUDAT already enjoys a head start as a first‑generation pilot node in the EOSC Federation. I’m confident that Wim, working closely with the EB, the Secretariat, and our broader partners, will shape the next steps and drive our shared vision forward through strong collaboration.”
Learn more about the EUDAT Secretariat and the EUDAT governance. See the governance page and learn more about Wim.