People are saying I don't need science, I have everything, but everything is based on science.

In 2004 he was appointed DESY's Research Director. On 12 November 2012 he was awarded an Edison Volta Prize. In December 2007 the CERN research council announced that Heuer will take office as CERN's Director General starting 1 January 2009 following the term of Robert Aymar.