Gauthier Barthélemy (ESILV Class of 2001) Purchasing Director - Fleet Support & Services at Dassault Aviation

From automotive engineering to aerospace, from technology to business: Gauthier Barthélémy (ESILV 2001) has built his career by gradually expanding his horizons. Now Head of the Procurement Department at Dassault Aviation, he looks back on the major milestones of his career, the strategic challenges of procurement in the aerospace industry, and the lessons that continue to guide him, more than 20 years after graduating from ESILV.

Key Milestones on a Path Between Engineering and Business

First milestone: I entered the automotive engineering field thanks to the skills I had developed at ESILV, and then, ten years later, I broadened my scope within automotive engineering.

And finally, a shift toward procurement—a more business-oriented role—while remaining in the same industry. I had the opportunity to join the automotive supplier network in a sales role, and now I’ve returned to procurement through a new industry: the aerospace industry.

Procurement: Securing Today to Thrive Tomorrow

Above all, it’s the ability to establish contracts with partners and suppliers to enable either production or our support for the fleets. These are very long cycles, lasting about ten years. So establishing contracts is, above all, about securing the supply chain. And there’s also the issue of competitiveness, which is a key concern in procurement functions elsewhere as well.

Capacity, regulations, fleet longevity: the challenges on the table

Finding capacity, finding new partners, helping them grow, and being able to support them financially.

There are also major challenges related to regulatory changes. At Dassault Aviation, we work in both the military and civil sectors; environmental standards, in particular, require us to adapt our procurement function and adopt new metrics.

In my specific role, in fleet support and services, the goal is to extend the capabilities of existing aircraft by sourcing the equipment needed to keep them operational for many more years.

In the aerospace industry, high standards don’t stop at the factory

In the aerospace industry, safety—specifically flight safety—is paramount, and every function within the company contributes to flight safety—not just engineering and production, but also procurement, particularly when it comes to selecting partners. So procurement has the heavy responsibility of ensuring that partners meet the same high standards as the company itself.

This requires a great deal of rigor. The mark of a skilled procurement professional is the ability to obtain clear specifications from the business units that set the requirements.

A key skill is knowing how to identify and work through compromises.

ESILV as a Launchpad

What ESILV offered me, above all, was a gateway into the industry, equipped with a very distinctive skill set. I think ESILV has cultivated, through high-quality instruction, a reputation in the job market for producing students with distinctive and practical skills—and that’s exactly what ESILV gave me.

Another key benefit of my program was that we took courses that were truly in-depth, particularly in mechanics, which really allowed us to get to the heart of the matter and then understand all the concepts.

I’m thinking of continuum mechanics or fracture mechanics, which ultimately serve as a foundation throughout one’s career for approaching other technical fields with humility—since we know that in those areas, the subject matter was quite specialized. So it also fosters respect for other technical professions.

Building a Foundation, Expanding It, and Moving Forward

My career can serve as a reference point—a path that starts with technical skills, develops within an industry that touches on the business side, and then allows you to apply those skills to move forward in another industry.

I think what’s important is to start with a foundation of skills you’ve mastered, develop that foundation, and broaden it so you can move from one role to the next. I think it’s important to be disciplined and professional. I believe professionalism is what sets you apart.

An Alumnus to follow!

Gauthier Barthélemy