PARIS, July 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A graduate of École Polytechnique, an General Engineer of Armament and former Director General of École Polytechnique, Laura Chaubard is taking over the leadership of Sopra Steria’s Defence, Security and Space vertical. Her appointment accelerates the Group’s sovereignty agenda, at a time when Europe is stepping up its defence spending and mastery of critical technologies is becoming a matter of national security.
Sopra Steria, a major player in the European tech sector, announces the appointment of Laura Chaubard to lead its Defence, Security and Space vertical, effective the 1st of September 2026; she will join the Group Executive Committee accordingly.
This vertical, which accounted for 13% of the Group’s revenue in 2025, brings together Sopra Steria’s most strategic activities in service of the armed forces, governments and major critical infrastructure. This appointment builds on a momentum already under way and reinforces the Group’s ambition: to be a leading European partner in critical systems, at a time when technological sovereignty is becoming a major strategic issue.
Why this appointment, now
Europe is increasing its spending on defence, security and access to space at a rate not seen in thirty years and is asserting its ambition for strategic autonomy. The choice of players that will design and maintain the critical systems – and their degree of independence from non-European players – is becoming a central question for European strategy.
This is precisely Sopra Steria’s territory. Its Defence, Security and Space vertical designs and integrates the critical systems of armed forces, security services, space organisations and major sensitive infrastructure: command, intelligence, cybersecurity, sovereign data processing, ground segments and space applications. It draws on proven strengths and strategic acquisitions: CS Group in particular, a wholly owned subsidiary, is a recognised integrator of critical defence and security systems. In May 2026, the Group completed the acquisition of Starion and Nexova, which strengthen its sovereign, secure capabilities in space and cybersecurity and consolidate its position as a leading European player in these markets. It is against this backdrop of accelerating growth that Laura Chaubard will take up her role, just as the Group sets out to make defence, security and space one of the engines of its growth in the years ahead.
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