CERN Global Network - was I wrong or just too early?

In 2010 I was the Head of the Knowledge & Technology transfer office at CERN. At that time, I made a proposal for a CERN Global Network for knowledge transfer, got it approved, and the network was launched. 

The underlying philosophy is summarized in this article: CERN is a unique "knowledge hub", fostering knowledge exchanges between individuals, research centers and private companies, across its Member States and worldwide. 

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The proposal was about leveraging and structuring this potential, nurturing exchanges between former and current members of the CERN ecosystem.

The CERN Global Network was officially launched, and then shut down a few months later (or perhaps weeks - I don't remember).  I still haven't understood why. 

Maybe I was pushing too much for exchanges with private entities - a politically sensitive domain. Maybe the inclusion of current members of the ecosystem was perceived as as sensitive issue. Or maybe there was a different reason. 

Anyway...seven years down the line, CERN is now launching an Alumni Network, aimed at former members of the personnel only. I wish them good luck, and I will join. 

Very often, projects succeed or fail because the timing is not right. 

The answer is blowing in the wind.