CERN Director-General Rolf Heuer passes the baton to Fabiola Gianotti

Geneva, 18 December 2015. The 178th session of the CERN Council today saw the handover ceremony from Rolf Heuer, CERN 's Director-General for the past seven years, to Fabiola Gianotti, who will take up her functions at the head of the Organization on 1 January 2016. On the same day, Sijbrand de Jong will become the new CERN Council President, taking over from Agnieszka Zalewska at the end of her three-year term. "I wish CERN a future rich in discoveries and innovations, and I wish the next President of Council, Sijbrand de Jong, every success in his new challenging position," said President of the CERN Council Agnieszka Zalewska. "I would like to thank the CERN Council delegates for entrusting me with this responsibility," said incoming President of Council Sijbrand de Jong. "I wish to CERN a luminous and energetic year 2016." Council delegates paid tribute to, and warmly thanked Rolf Heuer for his leadership and the work accomplished during his term of office. During his mandate the LHC was successfully commissioned, providing the global scientific community with a unique tool for studying the fundamental laws of nature.