CIESM Headquarters are located Villa Girasole, 16 bd de Suisse, in Monaco. This is where science programs and initiatives are managed and monitored by a central team of marine specialists. In 2017 the Commission opened offices in Paris as well, back at the Oceanographic Institute where it was seated in the 1930s, with a focus on the interface between science and marine policy.

Prof. Frederic Briand, Director General
Studied oceanography and economics at Univ. of Paris, then completed a Ph.D. (1974) at the University of California. Early career as Professor of Ecological Sciences in Canada, with field studies on the dynamics of marine systems in the north Pacific, the north Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea. Discovered a series of ecosystem 'markers' and invariants in the architecture of food webs, and published noted theoretical and empirical papers on complex systems.

After returning to Europe to lead multi-disciplinary programs in International Organisations (Unesco, IUCN), he was appointed DG of CIESM with the mandate to turn it into a modern, science-based organisation, in order to deliver impartial, authoritative advice to society. The DG oversees the scientific and geographic development of the Commission, and is particularly involved in launching, promoting cross-Basin and cross-sector initiatives through the Science Council which he presides. Founding editor of the CIESM Research Monographs series, Marine Policy Series and Exotic Atlas collection, he advises various international agencies, from GESAMP to the International Whaling Commission.

Prof. Laura Giuliano, Director of Science
Ph.D. (1996) Univ. Marseille (France) followed by a PostDoc in Germany. Recruited by the CNR Marine Institute in Messina (Sicily) in 2001, Laura directed a number of international research projects, published in leading international journals (Science, Nature, PNAS), served as guest editor of special issues (FEMS, Deep-Sea Research, Marine Biotechnology, Marine Genomics). In 2005 Dr Giuliano was detached to CIESM HQ to advise the Director General on the emerging sector of marine genetic resources. In 2014 she was appointed Director of IAMC - the multi-disciplinary marine research Institute of CNR covering southern Italy - before returning to CIESM in 2016 to assume the position of Director of Science.

At headquarters Laura follows in particular the development of all CIESM oceanographic activities, while keeping a close watch on the sectors of marine biotechnology, meta-databases, and their interface with legal and economic issues.

Dr Paula Moschella, Head, Marine Biodiversity and Conservation
Ph.D. in marine ecology (2003), Univ. Southampton, UK; laurea (BSc, MSc) 1996, Univ. Genoa, Italy.
Dr Moschella oversees all CIESM Program related to Marine Biodiversity; she represents the Commission in international forums dealing with marine conservation, and directs every three years the CIESM Congress Team.

Further assists the Director General for administrative matters.

Dr Loriane Mendez,  Research Officer, Marine Vertebrates
Ph.D. on Seabird Ecology (2018) Univ. La Rochelle, France; MSc in marine ecology (2013) Univ. Aix Marseille.
Integration of marine birds into CIESM programs.

Kaveh Rassoulzadegan, IT Officer
Software engineering specialist. Full stack programmer in charge of software development planning and production of database interfaces. CIESM web contents designer and servers' administrator.

Annelyse Gastaldi, Media Relations & Digital Mapping
MSc. on Geo-Systems (2008) Univ. Nice, France.
In addition to press relations, produces online maps that integrate latest records from CIESM Programs.