France’s president Emmanuel Macron has ratified the proposal by Naval Group to appoint Pierre Éric Pommellet as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
The Group’s Board of Directors had nominated Pommellet to take over the top job at Naval Group during a meeting on the 24th of March, to replace outgoing CEO Hervé Guillou. The board itself has also been partly renewed following the expiration of the terms of office of some of the group’s directors.
Naval Group is owned in part by the Agence des participations de l’État, a private company through which the French state holds a 62.49% stake, with Thales holding a further 35%.
New CEO Pommellet said: “It is an honour and an immense pride to serve Naval Group, a 400- year-old and now international and forward-looking company. I am taking up my duties in the context of the COVID-19 health crisis that we are all experiencing throughout the country – and the world – and I am aware of the responsibility thus entrusted to me. Today, all my energy, together with the group’s management team, is entirely devoted to fighting the spread of this virus and to protecting the health of Naval Group employees and their families.”
He added, “In line with these priorities, we are carrying out our essential missions so that our clients and partners can pursue theirs, in the service of defence. Naval Group’s purpose is to serve navies around the world, first and foremost the French Navy, and it is reflected at its strongest at times like this. I have full confidence in our company’s ability to meet these challenges thanks to the commitment of every employee, to their exceptional team spirit and to our operational excellence.”
In Australia, Naval Group is currently engaged in the design and build of the proposed Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A submarine for the Royal Australian Navy’s Attack-class future submarine under Project SEA 1000.
Twelve of these boats will be built in Adelaide over the next few decades.
