Sponsorship of the 2024 and 2025 cohorts by E. Levacher, Arquus

Arquus is the industrial company that equips the French Armed Forces with armored vehicles. Its CEO, Emmanuel Levacher, conversed widely with the engineering students, supported by his company’s innovation and public affairs directors, the Human Resource Manager and the Communications Manager as well as the Director of Institut Montaigne, who was attending as special guest. The topics discussed on this rewarding and inspiring day included innovation, sovereignty and the role of engineers on the international scene.

An outstanding program was organized for the two cohorts, giving them full insight into the sovereignty- and technology-related challenges which the company addresses:

• Conference
• Exhibition on the campus and presentation of one of the latest prototypes of armored vehicles
• Immersive event aboard Arquus vehicles in their operating environment

Arquus is a major partner of the Ministry of the Armed Forces, the Defense, Procurement and Technology Agency (DGA) and the engineering school, ENSTA Bretagne. It supplies army vehicles and equips their bases.
In his speech to the engineering students, the Arquus CEO went back over his career path and duties at the company. A prominent figure in the automotive and vehicle sector, Emmanuel Levacher is above all an industrial leader and representative of a team that he was delighted and proud to present to the students, to guide them as effectively as possible in their career-related choices.
 

The following people spoke during, and the day before, the sponsorship day: 

• Emmanuel Levacher, CEO of Arquus and sponsor of the 2024 and 2025 cohorts
• Christian Jacques, Director of Innovation at Arquus  
• François Deloumeau, Senior Advisor for Innovation at Arquus 
• Céline Goavec, Human Resources Business Partner
• and Marie-Pierre de Bailliencourt, Director of Institut Montaigne, the sponsor’s special guest, invited to share her own experience

The Arquus team talked about their innovation programs, areas of expertise regarding armed defense and the major challenges the company is preparing for. They also went into the history of the BMX-01, the prototype exhibited on the ENSTA Bretagne campus since the day before.

Marie-Pierre de Bailliencourt, whose career has focused on strategy and negotiations in environments with high technological and geopolitical stakes, shared her experience in international relations and encouraged the engineering students to think about the purpose of their professional and civic engagement, making the connection between science, society, diplomacy and sovereignty.

These insightful and inspiring presentations made a strong impression on the ENSTA Bretagne cohorts. 

They are currently beginning their final or second year of studies before graduating, specializing in one of the 11 majors taught at the school. 50% will work in the civil industry, 32% in the defense industry and 18% will become military engineers at the DGA.

The main activity sectors of interest to these future engineering graduates are the maritime industry, land transport, aerospace, defense, energy, digital technology and IT as well as research. 

All of the students are preparing for their future engineering responsibilities, predominantly entailing scientific and technological expertise. The professions they are working towards encompass a broad spectrum, including research, design and development engineering, as well as management, business development and entrepreneurship.