O. Appert was Chairman and CEO of IFP Energies nouvelles from 2003 to 2015, of the Conseil Français de l'Energie, the French Committee of the World Energy Council from 2010 to 2018 and of France Brevets from 2016 to 2023. He is a member of the Académie des Technologies and an advisor to the IFRI Energy Centre.

O. Appert, a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique and ingénieur général des Mines, began his career at the Lyon Mines Department, then held various positions at the Ministry of Industry and in the Prime Minister's office. In 1987, he took charge of the mobile radio business at Télécommunications Radioélectriques et Téléphoniques (TRT). Appointed Director of Hydrocarbons at the Ministry of Industry in 1989, he joined the management of IFP in 1994, where he was responsible for research and development and its subsidiary, a listed technology holding company. In October 1999, he was appointed Director of Long-Term Cooperation and Energy Policy Analysis at the International Energy Agency (IEA).