In 1975, thirty years after the Second World War, Nino Ferrer sang “Le sud” (The South):

There are many children rolling around on the lawn.

There are many dogs.

There’s even a cat, a turtle, goldfish.

…

There will be a war one day.

We know that for sure.

We don’t like it, but we don’t know what to do.

They say, ‘It’s fate.’

The war bell last rang in France on 3 September 1939, to announce mobilisation. Eighty-five years of peace in Europe (excluding the Balkan War) have gradually erased the sense of danger at our borders from our collective memory. However, recent geopolitical events are a clear warning.

Europe now faces a new collective challenge, following the pandemic and hybrid threats. One crisis follows another, and the global stage seems to favour the most impulsive players.

The green, social, and solidarity-based economy was seen as the battle of our generation, aimed at transforming the energy system and protecting the climate. But today, this must give way to the urgent challenge of security and sovereignty, which requires the immediate revival of a war economy. The future will show if we can face these issues in parallel.

Meanwhile, the question is whether our countries can align their politics, economies, administrations, and populations for action. Disagreement is part of the heritage of a continent shaped by centuries of struggles. The desire for divergence remains strong. Marc Bloch, in “The Strange Defeat,” analysed the reasons for the defeat of the world’s first army in the battle for France: a lack of will to fight.

Today, the role of our companies is crucial. They penetrate different areas unevenly, avoiding sparsely populated regions to favour large, interconnected metropolitan areas. Information, like capital, knowledge, and people, circulates, with convenience and career opportunities driving movement – all in a complex linguistic and cultural dance.

In uncertain times, industrial and technology companies involved in the defence ecosystem, or considering entry, have a special role. The skills, resources, and expertise in our countries must be complemented by the best talent. Our diverse European landscape requires us to attract and hire leaders and candidates who can innovate, work across disciplines, and ignore borders. We must do this in a highly competitive environment.

The defence industry is not a natural magnet for talent, except in specialised fields. To attract the best, we must be disruptive and creative, thinking outside the box to identify and develop the most deserving employees.

numaH specialises in supporting European SMEs in this task. We are experts in multilingualism and multiculturalism. Our knowledge of European industrial and technological companies allows us to offer comprehensive and creative solutions to the defence industry.

Building on Nicolas Rogier’s analysis, Grégoire Depeursinge will examine the challenges for companies in the new geopolitical context and their impact on human capital needs. States must adapt, and companies must rethink their strategies to survive and thrive. They need to equip themselves with the technical and human skills necessary for success.