The Board is the formal decision-making body of the Commission, convening annually to bring together the National Delegates from 23 Member States. It is chaired by the CIESM President, currently Prince Albert II of Monaco, with the assistance of the Director General, currently Dr. Laura Giuliano.
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, at the Oceanographic Institute, with a focus on the interface between science and marine policy.
The Science Council encompasses the chairs of the six scientific committees, elected by Congress participants for a three-year mandate. They provide independent, expert advice on the Commission’s scientific priorities, free from political influence.