Orange Appoints Chief Trust Officer Amid Global Tension

In an environment of increasing geopolitical pressure on data protection, network resilience and national sovereignty, telecommunications operators are re-evaluating their strategic priorities.

For major players like Orange, trust is becoming a central pillar of corporate strategy as clients demand more secure connectivity and compliant digital infrastructure.

This rising demand is a response to a complex global landscape. With regulations like GDPR setting a high bar for data handling and a growing European push for digital sovereignty, the origin and security of data have become paramount.

To address this, Orange has created the new role of Group Chief Trust Officer, appointing Guillaume Poupard to the position. Reporting directly to CEO Christel Heydemann from 1 February 2026, Guillaume will define and implement the group’s sovereignty and trust strategy.

The move signals an intent to embed trust across the company’s portfolio, from core telecommunications to its cybersecurity, cloud and AI services.

A coherent group-wide trust strategy

Guillaume's remit is extensive, reflecting the critical role Orange occupies in national and international digital infrastructure. As mobile and fixed networks now form the backbone of essential services for public administration, healthcare systems and critical industries, ensuring their security is a primary concern.

The position is designed to guarantee that security and sovereignty are addressed consistently across all networks, platforms, and services.

He will work in close collaboration with Orange Business and Orange Cyberdefence to speed up the development of secure solutions for both B2C and B2B markets.

This includes cybersecurity services for businesses and individuals as well as trusted cloud and AI products that meet stringent regulatory and sovereignty demands.

A sovereign cloud solution, for instance, ensures that data is stored and processed within a specific jurisdiction, making it immune from foreign laws and data access requests.

For enterprise clients in regulated sectors like government and finance, providing sovereign cloud services and secure connectivity is a key differentiator, offering vital assurance.

Supporting defence and security ambitions

This appointment aligns with Orange's "Lead the Future" plan and the creation of a new Defence and Security division within Orange Business. This specialist unit will support defence and security customers with resilient connectivity, secure data hosting and emergency communications.

Nassima Auvray, leader of the new division and Director of Defence & Security, says: "I am proud to lead this strategic division, which brings together a team of several hundred experts committed to designing sovereign, resilient and high-value solutions for our clients in the defence and security sectors.

"By leveraging Orange’s innovation power – from advanced cybersecurity and AI to emerging quantum technologies – we are ideally positioned to meet the rapidly evolving needs of this highly specialised sector."

The mention of quantum technologies is particularly forward-looking. As quantum computing evolves, it poses a threat to current encryption standards, making the development of quantum-resistant cryptography a critical long-term security objective.

Deep sector and public policy expertise

Guillaume brings a significant depth of experience from the intersection of cybersecurity, technology and public policy. He holds a degree in weapons engineering and a PhD in cryptology, the foundational science of secure communication. His expertise in cybersecurity is widely recognised.

From 2014 to 2022, he was the Director General of the French Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI), where he was instrumental in developing France’s national cybersecurity strategy and its regulatory framework.

His leadership at ANSSI gives him a unique insight into the security challenges facing critical national infrastructure. This background is particularly relevant as telecom operators navigate complex regulations like the NIS2 Directive, which mandates a higher level of cybersecurity for essential services.

He is currently the Deputy CEO of Docaposte, a La Poste Group subsidiary focused on digital technologies.

With this appointment, Orange reinforces its strategy to place trust at the centre of its operations as its networks, cloud platforms and digital services converge.