Company overview

Jean-Hubert Vial, 54, is a graduate of Mines ParisTech and Paris Dauphine-PSL University. He began his career as an auditor with Arthur Andersen in 1994 before joining Société Générale’s M&A department as a Manager in 1998. In 2000, he joined the M&A department of Rothschild & Cie before being appointed Director in 2005. In 2006, Jean-Hubert Vial joined Arstog Partners to take up the position of Director. In March 2015, he became a partner in the HLD Group, which specialises in the industrial and services sector. In this capacity, he oversees the HLD Group’s holdings in Exosens, Aresia, Kiloutou and Tessi.

Jérôme Cerisier, 52, is a graduate of the École Polytechnique engineering school, with a master’s degree in aeronautics from ISAE-Supaéro and a master’s degree in business administration from INSEAD. He began his career at the Directorate General of Armaments in 1997 before joining A.T. Kearney in 2001, first as a consultant and then as team leader. In 2006, Jérôme Cerisier joined Zodiac Aerospace as Director of Purchasing and Performance Improvement for the Elastomer Technologies and Systems business of Aerazur, a subsidiary of the Group, before becoming Managing Director from 2008 to 2011; he then became Managing Director of the Oxygen Systems business from 2011 to 2013 and finally of the Cabins and Cockpits business from 2013 to 2016. In 2016, Jérôme Cerisier joined Exosens (formerly Photonis Group) to become its chairman and lead the Group’s transformation and expansion.

Christophe Bernardini, 63, is a graduate of ESTACA (Ecole Supérieure des Techniques Aéronautiques et de Construction Automobile) and has an Executive MBA from HEC Paris. He began his career in 1987 with the French aerospace group TAT. In 1997, he was appointed Managing Director of TAT Industries, a subsidiary of the TAT Group. In 2006, he became Chairman and CEO of Sabena Technics. Christophe Bernardini joined the Executive Committee of aerospace equipment manufacturer Zodiac Aerospace in 2012 as Managing Director of the Services division. In 2016, he became Managing Director of the Cabin division based in California. It was in 2019 that he joined the HLD Group as an Operating Partner specialising in the aerospace, defence and industrial sectors, where he is responsible for the HLD Group’s holding in Exosens.

Michel Mariton, 64, is a former student of the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris-Saclay and holds a doctorate in Physics. He is also a graduate of the Centre de Perfectionnement aux Affaires business school and the Institut Français des Administrateurs (French Institute of Administrators). After starting his career at CNRS and the University of California, he joined MATRA Défense Espace in 1989, where he worked on image processing for major weapons programmes, before becoming Vice-President for earth observation systems. In 1999, he became Managing Director and then Chairman of JOBIN YVON and led its development within the Japanese group HORIBA, where he then managed the entire scientific instrumentation segment. Following roles at SURYS (holography) and AMPLITUDE (ultrafast lasers), in 2020 he became Vice-President of Paris-Saclay University, then Economic Development Adviser to its President. Since 2016, he has also been Chairman of TRIAMON Conseil, a consultancy firm he founded in 2016.

Wendy Kool-Foulon, 50, is a graduate of the Université Paris Dauphine-PSL and the Ecole de Formation des Barreaux de la Cour d’Appel de Paris. She began her career as a lawyer in 1997 with Landwell Partners (formerly PricewaterhouseCoopers Juridique et Fiscal). She then joined the law firm Salans Hertzfeld & Heilbronn in 1999. In 2001, Wendy Kool-Foulon joined IBM France as a tax lawyer, before taking up the position of Corporate and M&A Manager in 2004. In 2009, she became head of legal affairs for the SCO division of GEODIS. She was appointed General Counsel of the EMEA, APAC and LATAM division of the TARKETT group in 2012, before becoming Group General Counsel and Secretary of the Supervisory Board in 2016. In 2020, she joined the Verallia Group as Group Legal and CSR Director and Secretary to the Board of Directors and the Sustainable Development Committee.

Brigitte Geny graduated from ESCP Business School, is French chartered accountant and statutory auditor. She also obtained the IFA-Sciences Po certificate for company directors in 2018. She has around 30 years' experience in auditing, acquired at Arthur Andersen and then at Ernst & Young (EY) as a partner. She worked as an auditor and consultant in numerous industries, in particular for public and private mid-caps and SMEs. She joined SYNLAB France, a medical biology group, in 2018 until the end of 2021 as Deputy CEO Finance, Legal, Compliance and M&A with a roadmap to structure France to ensure success of SYNLAB Group IPO. CEO-founder of Financielle Performance, she acts as sparring partner for SME’s CFOs.  She is an Independent Director and Vice-President of the Ile-de-France office of the Association des Directeurs Financiers et de Contrôle de Gestion (DFCG), Independent Director, CSR Committee Chair and Strategic Committee member of the COGELEC Group (listed on Euronext Growth), College Member de la Haute Autorité de l'Audit (H2A), as a qualified person in the certification of sustainability information, and Independent Director and CSR Committee Chair of the BIOSYNEX Group (listed on Euronext Growth). She is an independent director,  Audit Committee Chair and CSR Committee member of EXOSENS Group. 

Constance Lanèque, 41, is a graduate of the ESCP (Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris) business school. She began her career as an auditor with PwC in 2006. She joined CDC Entreprises in 2008 as a Management Controller before joining Dassault Systèmes as a Financial Planning & Analysis Analyst in 2011. Since 2016, she has held the position of Controlling Manager at POST Luxembourg. She joined the HLD Group in 2019, first as Managing Director and then as Head of Investment Vehicles and HLD Associés Europe.

Salim Helou, 38, is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique engineering school in Paris and Columbia University (USA). He began his career as a consultant with McKinsey & Company in 2011. In 2013, he joined Murex as a senior consultant and project manager. He joined the HLD Group in 2016 as Managing Director, and in this capacity oversees the HLD Group’s holdings in Exosens, Aresia, CBG Acciai and MVG.

François Calvarin, 61, is a graduate of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris (ENSMP). He began his career in 1985 as a mining engineer with Compania Minera Huaron in Peru. In 1987, he joined L’Equipement Minier as marketing manager. In 1990, François Calvarin joined Teleflex Lionel Dupont (TLD) as vice-president and industrial manager. Within the TLD group, he initiated and developed the strategy for airport ramp equipment. In 1996, he became executive vice-president of Gifi Cable / Draka France. In 1999, he joined FCI, a subsidiary of the AREVA group, as executive vice-president of the military, aerospace and industrial division (MAI). In 2003, together with other investors, he bought the MAI division, which took the name Souriau. In just a few years, the company became the world leader in aeronautical connectors. In 2012, following the sale of Souriau, François Calvarin founded his own company, Khantengri Investments. He has also been a member of a number of organisations, including the GEAD/GIFAS committee of aerospace equipment manufacturers from 2003 to 2012, a member of the Conseil des prélèvements obligatoires of the Cour des Comptes from 2004 to 2008, and a member of the General Council of the Banque de France from 2009 to 2021.

Jérôme Cerisier has been CEO of EXOSENS since September 2016, after briefly serving as Deputy CEO. Previously, he held several management positions at Zodiac Aerospace (2006-2013). Jérôme Cerisier also worked at the Direction Générale de l’Armement (French Defence Procurement Agency) as an engineer (1997-2001), before joining A.T. Kearney, where he was in charge of operations and strategy for several countries (2001-2005).

Jérôme Cerisier is a graduate of Ecole Polytechnique, ISAE-Supaéro and INSEAD. 

Quynh-Boi Demey has been CFO of EXOSENS since April 2022. She previously held the same position at Saft Group (2019-2022) and General Electric (2010-2018). Quynh-Boi Demey also worked for Areva T&D as Director of Finance and Management Control (2009-2010) and for Alcatel Lucent (2006-2009) in post-merger integration and management control. She began her career as a consultant with EY, Eurogroup, and PwC.

Quynh-Boi Demey is a graduate of EM Lyon. 

Claire Valentin has been Director of Strategy at EXOSENS since November 2021. She was previously the Sales and Marketing Director of Cimulec Groupe (2020-2021), after working as the Vice President of Marketing at Sofradir (2013-2018). Claire Valentin has also held various positions at Thalès, Alcatel, and the French Defence Procurement Agency.

Claire Valentin is a graduate of the Institut d’Optique Graduate School and IAE Paris. 

Pascal Joseph has been Chief Operating Officer of EXOSENS since February 2023. Prior to that, he held the position of Vice President in charge of Manufacturing and Supply Chain at Safran Electronics & Defense (2017-2023). During his career, Pascal Joseph has also worked for IDEMIA (2014-2017), LFoundry Rousset (2011-2014) and STMicroelectronics (1999-2011). He held various positions in industrial manufacturing, supply chains, and engineering.

Pascal Joseph is a graduate of CentraleSupélec.

Christel-Loic Tisse has been EXOSENS’ Chief Technology Officer since July 2022. Previously, Christel-Loic Tisse worked for Huawei as Chief Scientific Officer (2020-2022). During his career, he has also held the position of Chief Technology Officer at various companies: Philips (2018-2020), ULIS (2013-2018) and MTech Imaging Solutions (2010-2013). He began his career at STMicroelectronics as an R&D engineer.

Christel-Loic Tisse is a graduate of the Marseille Provence Institute of Technology, Polytech Montpellier, the University of Montpellier, and the Grenoble School of Management. 

Bella Zisere is a senior HR executive with extensive experience across a variety of sectors, including technology, food services, and banking. Before joining Exosens, she served as the Human Resources Director for Infrastructures Business Unit and later on for Industrial Waste Services Business Unit at the SUEZ Group, overseeing all aspects of the HR function and carrying out major organizational transformation projects.  Prior to SUEZ, Bella held various roles in human resources development, management, and strategy. Her career includes key positions at Schlumberger (SLB), Barclays Bank, and Yum! Brands, where she gained international exposure and led large, multi-layered teams.

Originally Latvian, Bella moved to France for her studies and now resides there. She graduated from Sciences Po Paris (Institute of Political Studies) and holds a PhD in sociology.

Fred Lalkens has been the Director of Programmes at EXOSENS since November 2009. Within the group, he also held the position of Business Development Manager (2007-2009). Previously, Fred Lalkens held a number of commercial management positions for several companies in the semiconductor manufacturing industry and related industries: VDL ETG (2006-2007), Philips Enabling Technologies Group (1999-2006), Fico Trim & Form Systems (1997-1999), and Philips Semiconductors (1994-2007).

Fred Lalkens is a graduate of Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands).

Frederic Guilhem has been the Sales Director in charge of Night Vision at EXOSENS since September 2023. He began his career with EXOSENS, where he held the following positions: Customer Technical Support (1996-2000), Special Products Sales Manager (1998-2003), Night Vision Sales Manager (2000-2003) and Executive Sales Manager for Night Vision (2003-2023).

Frederic Guilhem is a graduate of the University of Lille, the University of Sheffield (UK), and the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Lille. 

Ulrich Laupper has been President and CEO of EXOSENS Ultimate Detection Business since January 2024. Ulrich Laupper has held the position of President and CEO for various business units: Photonis Scientific, Photonis Ultimate Detection Business, and Scientific Detectors Business. In the past, he worked as Vice President of Agfa HealthCare (2012-2019) and as Global Head of Carestream Health’s Digital Capture Systems unit (2011-2012). Earlier in his career, he held various positions at Swissray International (1995-2011).

A graduate of King’s College London and the Business School Lucerne (Switzerland), Ulrich Laupper also has an MBA from Iona University (USA).

Paul Ryckaert is the Executive General Manager of EXOSENS Imaging, having previously been Managing Director of Xenics, which has become the pioneering infrared technology arm of EXOSENS. Previously, Paul Ryckaert held various management positions at Teams Industries (2011-2015), Barco (2003-2011), Tyco Electronics (1999-2003), and Siemens (1997-1999). In these positions, he led major strategic initiatives.

Paul Ryckaert is a graduate of China Europe International Business School, Vlerick Business School, and the Universities of Manchester and Ghent.

Larry Stack has been President and CEO of Photonis Defense since February 2018 after serving as Executive Director in charge of Strategic Business Development for Photonis USA (2016-2018). Larry Stack was previously a consultant with Black Katz Consulting (2014-2018), a consulting firm specialising in the defence sector. He also served as President of chemical manufacturing company CBI Polymers (2009-2014).

A former captain in the US Navy, Larry Stack is a graduate of Sonoma State University (USA), the National War College (USA), and the University of Southern California (USA).

Jean Giroux founded Telops in February 2000 and is the General Manager since then. He also leads the Instruments Business unit of EXOSENS.  He was previously with Bomem, now ABB Analytical Solutions from 1987, leading the development of numerous airborne and spaceborne sensing systems dedicated to remote sensing of the Earth and its Atmosphere.

Jean Giroux holds an M.Sc. in Physics from Laval University and is Alumni of the MIT Sloan Management program.