Introduction

In his article, Nicolas Rogier reminds us that our European continent, after decades of relative peace, must now face new hybrid threats and an acceleration of crises. He emphasises the growing importance of defence and sovereignty in this unstable geopolitical context. However, instability is not limited to defence issues. The risk of trade wars, protectionist barriers and disruptions to supply chains linked to the struggle for control of and access to vital resources (raw materials, latest-generation microchips, etc.) also require a profound reorganisation of companies.

It is not only governments that must adapt, but also companies that must rethink their strategies to survive and thrive in this new environment. Although the industrial sector (defence, industry, automotive, technology) is at the forefront, we are all affected. It is a question of acquiring the technical and human skills necessary for success, skills that are often not present within the company today.

Boosting the production of defence equipment

In order to meet the new needs for the production of defence equipment, it is necessary to massively increase production, to cooperate across political and cultural boundaries, and to share sensitive information, resources and knowledge. Adapting the production tool is crucial, for example by mastering the complexity involved in transforming a car production line to produce drones. We need to mobilise the productive capacities of companies that have not previously served the defence sector and develop new technical and manufacturing skills, particularly in the field of electronic chips and semiconductors, in order to reduce our dependence on foreign countries.

Dealing with protectionist barriers and tariffs

To overcome protectionist barriers and tariffs, as well as supply chain disruptions due to lack of profitability or restricted access for political or conflict-related reasons, companies must identify and conquer new markets to replace the ones that are now closed to them. They must also establish production units in other countries, find new sources of supply or come up with solutions to replace essential components that are now inaccessible.

Increasing security

In addition to all this, it is essential to strengthen the security of our networks and protect our data and systems from the increasing number of attacks. It is crucial to contribute to the development of our own sovereign systems, particularly in the field of AI.

Mobilising capital

Finally, capital, particularly European capital, often invested abroad, must be mobilised to finance this great leap forward. This capital exists and must serve the capacity for innovation of our continent, the indisputable leader in this field, so that industrialisation can take place in Europe and our companies are no longer forced to leave the continent to develop.

Mobilising talent and skills

Although many other conditions must be met, mastering these challenges requires above all an input of human capital, new skills and new talents, often from different geographical areas and industries. Experts capable of supporting this accelerated transformation are essential and must also be retained locally or brought back and motivated to participate in the common effort.

At numaH, we specialise in building bridges between cultures and industries to identify and find the best talent, convince them and integrate them. With extensive experience in the industrial, mobility and defence sectors, we have a multicultural team working in 10 languages throughout the EMEA region and in North America. Our experts are also able to support the upskilling of existing talent and the cultural change necessary to succeed in this new environment. Last year, we carried out headhunting assignments in more than 20 countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and North America, often for clients based in a country other than the one or countries where the search was being conducted (for example, for German companies in France and vice versa), and conducted skills assessment and development and cultural change projects for numerous clients worldwide.

In the next edition of our Newsletter, our Head of Talent, Catherine Librandi, will address human values and skills in this complex and difficult context.