Thales, the global leader in advanced technologies for aerospace, defence, security, and digital identity, has appointed Tommy Ayouty as Vice President for Northern and Central Europe. In his new role, Ayouty will be responsible for overseeing Thales’s operations across 27 countries and leading a regional workforce of over 2,700 employees. This leadership change is part of the group’s ongoing efforts to sharpen its focus on strategic regional development and drive deeper customer engagement across key European markets.

Ayouty brings with him more than 20 years of international experience at Thales, having held diverse leadership positions across Asia and Europe. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Sales and Accounts for Thales UK, where he played a pivotal role in advancing customer partnerships and sales strategy in one of the company’s largest markets. Prior to that, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Thales Denmark and Country Director for Finland, Iceland, Ireland, and the Caucasus region—positions that underscored his ability to lead complex, multi-national operations in both civil and defence sectors.

Ayouty also played a key role in forming the Nordic and Baltics regional hub between 2018 and 2021, strengthening Thales’s presence in the region through increased customer collaboration and strategic investments. His earlier career included leadership of Thales’s operations in Southeast Asia, where he served as Managing Director in Thailand and developed high-impact programmes in defence and transportation.

Pascale Sourisse, Senior Executive Vice President for International Development at Thales, welcomed the appointment, stating, “Tommy Ayouty has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to align our strategic goals with regional opportunities. His deep understanding of both the operational and cultural dynamics of Northern and Central Europe will be crucial in accelerating our growth ambitions and reinforcing Thales’s position as a trusted partner in these markets.”

As Vice President for Northern and Central Europe, Ayouty will be tasked with aligning Thales’s strategic priorities with evolving regional needs across sectors such as digital identity, secure communications, air traffic management, defence modernization, and transportation infrastructure. His responsibilities will include leading key stakeholder engagements with governments, commercial clients, and industry partners to expand Thales’s role in supporting digital sovereignty, critical infrastructure resilience, and technological innovation.

The appointment comes at a time when European countries are intensifying investments in defence readiness, cyber security, and digital transformation. Ayouty’s regional leadership is expected to strengthen Thales’s ability to respond to complex, cross-border challenges through localized expertise and cutting-edge global technologies.

With two decades of proven leadership within Thales and a strong track record of delivering strategic outcomes, Tommy Ayouty’s elevation to Vice President marks a significant step in Thales’s vision to deepen its roots across Northern and Central Europe and remain a leader in the technology solutions that safeguard sovereignty and drive digital innovation across the continent.