Philippe Logak, corporate secretary and general counsel at Thales, has been appointed to serve as the company’s chief executive and chairman on an interim basis.
He succeeds Jean-Bernard Levy, who has stepped down to lead French electric utility firm EDF, Thales said Thursday.
Logak joined Thales in 2013 as general secretary after three years in a similar role at telecommunications operator SFR Group.
He previously served as deputy private secretary to France’s justice minister and held legal adviser and assistant director positions within the French ministry of economy, finance and industry.
Before these roles, he was a lawyer at law firm Bredin Prat from 2003 to 2005 and worked for the Council of State of France as an auditor and as a master of requests.
He also worked at the French defense ministry, where he started as an engineer and later was named a deputy director for the agency’s nuclear-powered submarine program and head of its armed forces planning office.
Levy began his career at France Telecom and has led media company Vivendi before his appointment as CEO and chairman of Thales in 2012.
He also held leadership roles at Matra and Oddo et Cie, as well as served as an adviser and chief of staff to the French postal and telecommunication services minister.
