ISABELLE SIMON

About ISABELLE SIMON

Isabelle Simon holds a senior leadership position at Thales at the intersection of law, governance and corporate strategy. As Group Secretary since 2015 and Group Secretary & General Counsel, she is one of the Group’s key executives on compliance, ethics, risk management and governance matters. In a global industrial company such as Thales, her remit places her at the center of decisions that shape operational control, protection of intangible assets, regulatory readiness and the safeguarding of the Group’s strategic direction. She holds an exceptional academic background, having graduated from Sciences Po, HEC and Harvard Law School. She is admitted to the Paris and New York Bars, underscoring an international career built across major legal and financial centers in Europe and the United States. Isabelle Simon began her career in 1995 at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, practicing law in Paris and New York until 2002. In 2003, she joined Goldman Sachs’ Investment Banking Division as an Executive Director, focusing on financial advisory services. In 2009, she moved to Publicis Groupe as Senior Vice-President, where she led mergers and acquisitions, legal affairs and the Group’s external development strategy. She later joined Société des Bains de Mer, where she oversaw development, legal affairs, real estate, marketing, sales and communications. At Thales, Isabelle Simon has become a central figure in the Group’s governance framework. In 2022, her responsibilities were expanded to include overall executive oversight of ESG-related matters, highlighting her role in embedding environmental, social and societal priorities at the highest level of the organization. Thales has entrusted her with cross-functional oversight of governance, ethics, compliance, legal, audit and risk functions, reinforcing an integrated management model. Her career demonstrates strong expertise in M&A, regulation and corporate transformation, as well as a proven ability to support listed companies through strategic decision-making and stakeholder engagement.