French aerospace industry group GIFAS will have a new leader starting on August 1, when Frédéric Parisot becomes its managing director. The former corps general of France’s Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace, Parisot joined the association in mid-May to help prepare for this week’s Paris Air Show. He replaces Pierre Bourlot, who is retiring.
Since 2018, Parisot has served as the Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace's deputy chief of procurement and future requirements. Prior to then, he served as air deputy to France’s chief of military staff and in 2017 was the country’s director of civil-military cooperation in the multi-national “Inherent Resolve” mission in Iraq.
As a military pilot flying Mirage 2000 and F-18 fighter jets, Parisot flew 81 combat missions. He graduated from France’s Ecole de l’Air military aviation school and formerly served as the auditor of the country’s IHEDN Institute for Advanced Studies in National Defense.
GIFAS's membership rolls total about 440 member companies involved in all aspects of aerospace and defense technology and that collectively generated revenues of €62.7 billion ($68.9 billion) in 2022. The association organizes the Paris Air Show.