18.05.2020
Read about Laurent’s lifelong passion for aviation and aerospace – he’s literally a born space enabler!
I’m working on the production plans for Ariane 6, coordinating and standardizing our work methods at various sites in a number of different countries. It’s built mainly in Germany and France (and French Guiana), but some components are being sourced from other European countries.
How would you sum up what you do from day-to-day?
Well, my main focus is helping people to work together. I’m constantly mixing with people from lots of different disciplines such as IT, electronics and mechanical engineering, and I really enjoy the variety in my day! I hold videoconferences across sites, disciplines, all these people, to make sure that we all understand our mission – and each other!
What route did you take to get to this position?
Engineering is my thing! I did my first degree at the French university Orsay Faculty of Sciences then focused on systems engineering and vehicle design for my Masters at the Arts et Métiers school in Paris. I joined ArianeGroup in 2012, working in avionics at Les Mureaux, near Paris, and moved to my current role in the Ariane 6 program in 2017.
What prompted your choice of profession?
My parents both worked for a large airline so I was raised on the smell of kerosene and I guess you could say flying was in my blood! The aerospace industry was a fairly obvious choice really, and working for ArianeGroup is a dream come true.
And have you got any advice for someone hoping for a similar career?
Firstly, you need to know that the sky really is the limit! Whatever your training, your skill, your expertise, there’s a place for you in this industry. If you’ve got your sights set on the future, I don’t believe there’s anywhere else that offers more scope for personal development and advancement, regardless of your background. There’s no such thing as a “standard profile” here!