The Netherlands: Arie Jan de Waard appointed as supervisory board member

  • Europe
  • Netherlands
  • Type News In Brief
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Thales Nederland appoints Vice Admiral (retired) Arie Jan de Waard as supervisory board member

HENGELO – Thales announces that Vice Admiral (ret.) Arie Jan de Waard has been appointed as a member of the Supervisory Board of Thales Nederland. He is the successor to General (ret.) Peter van Uhm. With this appointment, Thales strengthens its governance at the intersection of defence, technology and European security cooperation.

De Waard has served, among other roles, as commander of COMMIT (Materiel and IT Command) and is regarded as an authority in the field of strategic materiel procurement, digital and maritime capabilities, and international defence cooperation. In that role, he was closely involved in the development of long-term capabilities and cooperation between government, industry and knowledge institutions, both nationally and within the NATO and the EU.

During his career in the armed forces, De Waard played an important role in deepening cooperation between European armed forces, including the Netherlands’ and German armed forces. This cooperation is illustrative of the broader movement towards greater European cohesion, interoperability and strategic autonomy in the security domain.

“With Arie Jan de Waard we are bringing in a supervisory board member who thinks strategically from the perspective of European security and operational deployability. He understands the dynamics of complex defence programmes and the importance of technological sovereignty. His experience and insight strengthen our role as a reliable partner for armed forces in a rapidly changing geopolitical context.” — Gerben Edelijn, CEO Thales Nederland
 

Word of thanks to Peter van Uhm

Thales expresses its great appreciation to General retired Peter van Uhm, who in recent years has made an important contribution to the company’s direction with his experience and integrity. With the appointment of De Waard, the Supervisory Board continues to possess in-depth military-strategic insight and strategic experience in European defence and security matters.