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Jerome Tissieres

About

About [Work/Carrer]

Summary

I have over 30 years of experience in IT, with a deep focus on computer networks, infrastructure, and services. From the early days of dial-up Internet to large-scale HPC/AI clusters interconnects, my career has taken me through a wide range of roles. From hands-on engineer to leading cross-functional infrastructure teams. Over time, I have grown from individual contributor into a technical leader comfortable operating at the intersection of engineering, cross-functional coordination, and people development.

High-Performance Computing — CSCS / ETH Zurich (2019 – present)

I joined the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS), part of ETH Zurich, as a senior network engineer in 2019. Within a year I took on the lead of the network and central services team, a group of seven engineers, before stepping up in 2023 to lead the data center infrastructure group: a cross-functional team of more than 20 engineers responsible for the entire data center infrastructure stack. This was the most demanding leadership experience of my career, and the one where I grew the most, managing complex interdependencies, driving technical vision across disciplines, and navigating the challenges of leading a large, senior team. In 2025, the group was reorganized into smaller, more focused teams; I now lead the network and cloud team composed of ten engineers.

My team contributes to the expansion, optimization, and operation of Alps, a multi-site infrastructure that includes one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. Supporting research in artificial intelligence (AI), weather and climate modeling, and other complex scientific simulations. Working at the intersection of HPC, large-scale networking, and AI infrastructure is a constant source of motivation.

 

Network solutions consultant (2014 – 2019)

For five years, at one of Switzerland's leading telco operators and IT integrators, I designed, implemented, and optimized network solutions for large enterprises across a broad range of industries: finance, healthcare, government, education, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, sports and entertainment. My scope covered campus networks (routing, switching, wireless), data center, and WAN (MPLS and SD-WAN) architectures, from the first client meeting through to production handover. Projects ranged from focused engagements delivered independently to complex, multi-stakeholder programmes requiring coordination across internal specialists, vendors, and customer teams, an experience that significantly sharpened my project management skills.

 

Head of network operations & engineering — ISP (2011 – 2014)

I held the position of head of network engineering and operations at an Internet service provider, with responsibility for the technical direction of the network and day-to-day coordination across field technicians, systems engineers, and the support team.

 

Enterprise network management (2008 – 2011)

My transition to enterprise networking started with managing the network infrastructure of IMD, a leading international business school, covering a campus LAN and wireless environment spanning seven buildings and two on-site data centers. Alongside my technical responsibilities, I mentored a junior network engineer, supporting both his technical development and his broader career growth. I then took on the network of a multinational company with 30 branches across multiple countries, on-premise and cloud data centers, and a global MPLS backbone.

 

Internet Service Providers, Switzerland (1995 – 2008)

I spent over 13 years working across multiple ISPs in Switzerland, joining the industry in 1995 when providing Internet access to homes and businesses was still a frontier. Over those years, I built hands-on expertise across the full evolution of access technologies, from dial-up and then DSL, to cable TV and fiber to the home (FTTH). The transport technologies from 64 kbps dedicated circuits through SDH, ATM, Metro-Ethernet, and MPLS. And routing protocols (BGP, IS-IS, OSPF, EIGRP, and even RIP at the beginning). As well as network security, including firewalls, IDS/IPS, and managed firewall services for customers.

Beyond network engineering and operations, I also acted as peering manager, negotiating and managing interconnections with content and connectivity providers worldwide. And I also contributed to the deployment of MPLS/VPN, VoIP, and IPTV platforms.

 

How it started

It all began with an electronics apprenticeship in the early 1990s, followed by a specialization in LAN administration and Novell networking. That's where I caught the networking bug. I've never fully recovered. 🙂

 

IT Certifications

I didn't pursue certifications until ten years into my career, passing my CCNA in 2005. That experience taught me something important: having a concrete goal like a certification exam is the most effective way I know to master a subject deeply. Since then, certifications have followed the natural arc of my career.

The CCIE RS/Enterprise deserves a special mention. Between 2014 and 2018, I invested hundreds of hours studying for it, passed the written exam multiple times, and attempted the lab four times. Coming very close on my last try, I ultimately chose to move on, but I have no regrets: the depth of knowledge and rigour I gained from that pursuit has shaped how I approach networking to this day.

  • You can see a list of my certifications and some of my educational background on my Credly page.

 

Honors & Awards

  • Cisco Insider Champion 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025 - The Cisco Insider Champions program brings together a global community of highly influential technical experts, spanning areas such as enterprise networks, data center, security, collaboration, and IoT, who generously share their knowledge and expertise with the broader networking community and with Cisco itself.
    Since 2019, I have had the honour of being selected as part of this program (2019–2023 and 2025). It is a recognition that means a lot to me: the quality of the exchanges and knowledge sharing within that community is exceptional.

 

  • Cisco French Community Spotlight Award, Feb. 2022 - The Community Spotlight Awards recognize members whose significant contributions demonstrate leadership and commitment to their peers within their respective communities, including Cisco Community, Cisco Learning Network, and Cisco Developers Network. Spotlight awards are designed to recognize and thank individuals who help make our communities the premier online destination for Cisco enthusiasts.

 

  • Cisco DevNet Class of 2020 - The DevNet Class of 2020 badge recognizes software and automation professionals who earn a DevNet Certification during the program's inaugural year. Holders of the DevNet Class of 2020 badge are recognized as early adopters of automation technologies and are key influencers in the DevNet community. It is a symbol that recognizes those who lead by example and possess the drive to keep pace with technology, innovate through lifelong learning, and accelerate business transformation.

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