conferences & speakers
The Paris Air Forum 2026 offers a full day punctuated by high-level conferences, thematic roundtable discussions and inspiring keynote addresses. Industry leaders, institutional experts and innovation stakeholders share their visions to anticipate the transformations underway in aeronautics, space and defence.
Interviews
Plenary sessions bringing together key decision-makers and stakeholders from across the sector. They provide a comprehensive overview of the issues surrounding sovereignty, competitiveness and the energy transition.
panels
Interactive debates between executives, researchers, and institutional stakeholders. A format designed to bring together expertise, challenge perspectives, and surface concrete action-oriented insights.
Keynotes
Exclusive addresses from prominent French and international figures. An opportunity to hear first-hand from those who are shaping the future of the aeronautical and space industry.
DISCOVER the 2026 programme
08h55
Opening
Auditorium
President and Chief Executive Officer of Groupe ADP
09h20
How is the industry preparing for the next generation of aircraft?
Salle Jussieu
President & CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation
President of Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines
Director of ONERA
09h20
AI: How the Air and Space Force Is Preparing to Master the Skies of Tomorrow
Auditorium
Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force
Director of the Ministerial Agency for Defense Artificial Intelligence (AMIAD)
09h20
Can we still be sovereign in an interdependent world?
Salle Saint-Germain
Executive Chairman of ArianeGroup
President and CEO of Naval Group and President of GICAN
Senior Vice-President, The Boeing Company & President, Boeing Global
Deputy Chief Executive of the DGA
09h20
SAF Production as a Lever for Sovereignty
Salle Monge
President of UAF
President of the National Federation of Aviation and its Trades
10h00
Interview with Ben Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM
Salle Monge
Managing Director of Air France-KLM
10h10
Drones: A Revolutionary Ukrainian Industry
Auditorium
Partner, SUB ROSA
CEO and CTO of FirePoint
Founder & Executive Chairman of TAF Industries
10h10
Interview with Jean-François FALLACHER
Salle Saint-Germain
CEO of Eutelsat Group
10h25
Is it possible to grow through adversity?
Salle Saint-Germain
Founder of Joby Aviation (USA)
President and CEO of The Helicopter Company (Saoudi Arabia)
Chairman and CEO of Adani Airports (India)
10h25
Air transport facing geopolitical uncertainties
Salle Monge
Chief Executive Officer of Air France
Executive Vice President, Avionics, and Member of the Executive Committee of Thales
Director General of Civil Aviation
10h25
Is it really possible to rebuild industrial capacity in peacetime?
Salle Jussieu
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MBDA
Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Helicopters
Director of the Defense Industry at the Direction Générale de l’Armement
Chairman of GICAT and Chief Executive Officer of ARQUUS
10h25
Sovereignty Put to the Test by Global Chaos
Auditorium
President of GIFAS and Chief Executive Officer of Safran
Directeur of the IFRI
President and Chief Executive Officer of Groupe ADP
11h15
MCO 4.0: Inventing a New Value Chain
Auditorium
Senior Partner at Bain & Company
Partner, Latour Capital
Ministerial Agency for Defense AI (AMIAD)
11h15
Keynote with Jean Pierre DIRIS
Salle Saint-Germain
Interministerial Coordinator IRIS2 and GOVSATCOM
11h20
Digitalization as a Driver of Competitiveness
Salle Monge
Vice President, Aerospace and Defense at Dassault Systèmes
Chief Technical Officer Aeroline, Sopra Steria
Executive Vice President in charge of Digital at Airbus
President of Palantir Technologies France
Director of CortAIX Factory/Thales
Senior Vice President and Chief Enterprise Architect at iBASEt
11h30
Discussion with Guillaume Faury
Auditorium
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Airbus
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mistral AI
11h30
Which defense programs after 2027?
Salle Jussieu
Member of Parliament for Seine-Saint-Denis (Aubervilliers) – Member of the Defence Committee (La France Insoumise)
Member of Parliament for Var – Vice-Chair of the National Assembly Defence Committee (Rassemblement National)
Member of Parliament for Yvelines – Secretary of the National Defence and Armed Forces Committee (Renaissance)
Vice-Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Armed Forces Committee – Senator of the Socialist, Ecologist and Republican Group
11h30
Can European space remain in the Champions League?
Salle Saint-Germain
Executive Chairman of Arianespace
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Thales Alenia Space
President of Airbus Defence and Space SAS and Executive Vice President, Space Systems at Airbus
Deputy for Space to the Director General for Armaments at the French Ministry of the Armed Forces
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CNES
12h20
Europe–NATO: The New Industrial Landscape of Sovereignty
Auditorium
Director of the Connected Intelligence Division at Airbus Defence and Space
Co-Chair of the NewSpace Task Force at MEDEF International, Former Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force, and Former NATO Supreme Commander
12h35
Free lunch break
Auditorium
12h35
Free lunch break
Salle Jussieu
12h35
Free lunch break
Salle Monge
12h35
Free lunch break
Salle Saint-Germain
14h10
French excellence
Auditorium
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Radiall
Chairman of the Board of MONEGO and ALFEOR
14h30
Production Ramp-Up: Suppliers on the Front Line
Salle Monge
Chairwoman of Ametra Group
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Daher and Chief Executive Officer of Daher Logistics
Executive Vice President, Operations of the Commercial Aircraft Division and Member of the Executive Committee of Airbus
Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group and Head of the Industry Practice for France
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Mecachrome
14h30
Armed Forces and Industry: How to Stay State-of-the-Art in the Digital Age
Auditorium
Chairman and CEO of Thales
Lieutenant General (Army Corps General)
14h30
New launchers, towards a momentum
Salle Saint-Germain
Executive President of MaiaSpace
Director of Space Transportation at the European Space Agency
Director of Strategic Key Accounts at the European Space Agency and Head of the Oberpfaffenhofen site of OHB Group
Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of PLD Space
14h30
Exporting weapon systems in a fragmented and tense world
Salle Jussieu
Vice President at Airbus, Head of Air Power
CEO of the John Cockerill Group
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Thales in charge of Land and Air Systems
Director of International Development at the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA)
15h20
Training: a European imperative
Auditorium
Executive Vice President, Avionics, and Member of the Executive Committee of Thales
Academic Director of the Air Transport University (ENAC – École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile), Founder and Academic Lead of the UTA, and Former Secretary General of the Direction générale de l’aviation civile (DGAC)
Lawyer and lecturer in European relations
15h35
Weaponization of the Supply Chain: How Can the Aerospace Industry Protect Itself from Geopolitical Challenges?
Salle Monge
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Strategy, Research and Technology, and Member of the Executive Committee of Thales
Strategy Director of Aubert and Duval
Commercial Optimisation Director, Rolls-Royce
15h35
Can electrification reduce our dependence on oil?
Salle Jussieu
Co-founder, Chairman and Chief Technical Officer of AURA AERO
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ascendance
SVP Aircraft of Tomorrow Research & Technology Airbus
Technical and Innovation Director of Safran Electrical & Power
15h35
Defense and finance: the end of a French and European taboo?
Salle Saint-Germain
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and Chairman of the Managing Board of Euronext
Partner, Messier Associés
Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Colt CZ Group
Chairman of Weinberg Capital Partners
Partner Europe, Renaissance Strategic Advisors
Head of the SME Support and Defense Industrial Base Financing Office at the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA)
15h35
Keynote
Auditorium
General Delegate for Armaments
16h40
Will regulation kill air transport?
Auditorium
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Volotea
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Transavia
Chairman of the Management Board of Air Austral
Founder and Partner at Equinoxe Avocats
Chief Executive Officer at CMA CGM AIR CARGO
16h40
The Industry Facing the Challenge of Renewing Its Workforce
Salle Monge
Chair of the Aéro-PME Committee of GIFAS
Executive Vice President, Human and Societal Responsibility at Safran Aircraft Engines
President of ManpowerGroup France
16h40
Hybrid warfare: the new invisible fronts
Salle Jussieu
Head of Department at Viginum, Head of the Preparatory Mission at SGDSN
French Air and Space Force Headquarters and General Officer in charge of Very High Altitude, Space, and Counter-Drone Operations
Air Division General, Commander of Space
17h35
Conclusion
Auditorium
In the meantime, relive the highlights of 2025
Among THE 2026 speakers
Each year, the Paris Air Forum brings together top executives, experts and decision-makers. Following a 2025 edition marked by the presence of iconic figures, the 2026 edition promises an exceptional new lineup.
Alain FAURÉ
Airbus Defence and Space SAS et Space Systems
Alexandre LAHOUSSE
DGA
Alexis MOREL
Latour Capital
Anne-Charlotte FREDENUCCI
Ametra
Anne RIGAIL
Air France
Arjan MEIJER
Embraer Commercial Aviation
Arnaud MARTINEZ
The Helicopter Company
Arnaud MONTEBOURG
MONEGO et ALFEOR
Arthur MENSCH
Mistral AI
Arun BANSAL
Adani Airports
Aymeric DAHER
Daher
Bastien LACHAUD
Benjamin SMITH
Air France-KLM
Benoît DERIGNY
ManpowerGroup France
An Event
Partners
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Technical Partners
With the support of
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