About

Safran forms a significant part of France’s aerospace and defence industry, being particularly renowned for its aircraft and spacecraft engines. Indeed, it is one of the companies that is responsible for the rocket engines of the Ariane series of European spacecraft, the foremost European rocket design. To achieve production of this monumental project, Safran has embarked on a joint venture with Airbus to create Airbus-Safran Launchers, a company that builds upon the competencies of both parties by utilising Safran to build the engines for the rocket, while Airbus constructs the body of the craft and other related components. The organisation and coordination of this major endeavour between two major companies operating in the same sector is just one example of a highly complex project being brought to fruition in part due to the highly competent Safran legal department. In a similar collaborative venture with a potential rival, Safran recently opened a 10,000m2 joint aircraft engine component manufacturing plant in Poland with Rolls-Royce. Currently led by group general counsel Coralie Bouscasse, who took over in June 2016 and boasts 20 years’ prior experience in the aerospace and defence sector with Thales, the Safran legal team has recently sought to rationalise and economise internal processes. Towards this end, the team has reduced department spend by deciding on a number of chosen or preferred firms as part of a panel.