Mr Grand also becomes Chairman of the Montreal-based International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA), taking over from Mr Pie. The ICCAIA chairmanship rotates every two years between ASD in Europe and AIA in the United States, with Mr Grand continuing to serve as a member of the Board of Directors between terms.
He previously served as Distinguished Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), leading its work on defence and technology since 2022. From 2016 to 2022, he was NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, overseeing capability delivery, missile defence, aviation, and armaments cooperation.
Earlier in his career, he directed the Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (FRS), held senior roles at the French Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence, and advised on nuclear and multilateral security policy. He has also taught at Sciences Po Paris and other French institutions, and contributed to international expert groups, boards and publications.
On the occasion of his appointment, Mr Grand said: “I am honoured to step into this role and this opportunity to lead a great European team. I look forward to working closely with our members, institutions, and regulators to drive innovation and shape a dynamic and resilient aerospace, security, and defence industry.”
He added: “I would like to especially thank the past and current ASD Presidents and Chairmen of the Board, Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, and Micael Johansson, CEO of Saab, and all the members of the Board, for the trust placed in me. I also want to pay tribute to my predecessor Jan Pie for the excellent cooperation and congratulate him on his highly successful tenure at the helm of ASD.”
