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.
Paris, July 13, 2026 – 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.
Rajesh Krishnamurthy, CEO of Sopra Steria, said: "Ambitions are judged by the resources you put behind them. At the heart of the French State, Laura Chaubard has built defence innovation schemes that are now benchmarks in the field. As Europe looks to determine who will design the critical systems underpinning its defence, security and access to space, Laura Chaubard's appointment should help us take that step”.
Laura Chaubard, Director of the Defence, Security and Space vertical of Sopra Steria Group, added: "For twenty years, I served defence and innovation within the State. I am joining Sopra Steria with an undiminished conviction: sovereignty cannot be decreed, it must be built – with mastered technologies, committed teams of engineers and industrial partners able to honour their commitments over time. The Sopra Steria group brings these conditions together, and I am delighted to join it and contribute to its development on sovereignty matters."
A career at the heart of defence innovation
A graduate of École Polytechnique (X99) and a General Engineer of Armament (a senior rank within the French defence procurement corps), Laura Chaubard spent more than twenty years in public service on the very issues that shape today's Defence, Security and Space vertical.
At the Direction générale de l'armement (DGA, France's defence procurement agency), she spent six years as an expert in big data and artificial intelligence for the intelligence services, before heading the strategic SMEs office – tasked with identifying and supporting the some 600 French SMEs of significance to defence – and then leading capability planning for the 2018–2022 Military Programming Law.
As adviser on innovation and digital affairs to Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly from 2017 to 2019, she drove the creation of the Defence Innovation Agency, the Definvest investment fund, the Directorate General for Digital Affairs and the Ministry of the Armed Forces' first Artificial Intelligence roadmap. In 2022, she became the first woman to lead École Polytechnique. She is a Knight of the Legion of Honour and an Officer of the National Order of Merit.
Few profiles combine such deep knowledge of the defence sector, command of critical technologies and experience of running complex organisations.
Key takeaways
- Laura Chaubard takes over the leadership of Sopra Steria's Defence, Security and Space vertical, which represented 13% of the Group's revenue in 2025.
- A General Engineer of Armament (a senior rank within the French defence procurement corps), she helped create the Defence Innovation Agency, the Definvest fund, the Directorate General for Digital Affairs and the Ministry of the Armed Forces' Artificial Intelligence roadmap. The first woman to have led École Polytechnique (2022), she brings rare expertise in defence public procurement, AI and strategic SMEs.
- The appointment strengthens Sopra Steria's ambitions in the defence, security and space markets, where the Group holds a distinctive position between the major defence primes and the global technology providers.