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Vice-Admiral Didier Maleterre joins Exail as Vice President, Defense Advisor
Saint-Germain-en-Laye (France), October 22, 2025 – Exail announces the appointment of Vice-Admiral Didier Maleterre as Vice President, Defense Advisor. With this appointment, Exail strengthens its ties with the French and international defense community and reaffirms that a deep operational understanding of users’ requirements lies at the core of the value it delivers to armed forces.
With a distinguished career within the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, and in particular within the French Navy and NATO, Vice-Admiral Didier Maleterre has held several senior commands, including Commander of the French Joint Forces in the Middle East and Indian Ocean, and Deputy Commander at NATO’s Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), where he oversaw the Alliance’s air and naval operations from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, including the Atlantic and the Baltic Sea. A former commander of both nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN) and ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), he applied his extensive experience in maritime operations to NATO’s military activities, particularly in the context of the war in Ukraine. He also contributed to the integration of new technologies within NATO, notably through Task Force X, dedicated to surface naval drones and ISR capabilities. A graduate of the French Naval Academy and a nuclear engineering officer, he has an in-depth understanding of the operational needs of crews deployed across a wide range of theaters, from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean.
His operational experience, deep understanding of tactical, operational, and strategic issues, and strong international background will enable Exail to further enhance the relevance and effectiveness of its defense solutions. He will also help deepen Exail’s engagement with institutions and international organizations, reinforcing the vital link between technological innovation and operational performance at the heart of Exail’s mission in France and abroad.
Fabien Napolitano and Thomas Buret, Exail’s co-CEOs, stated: “With the arrival of Vice-Admiral Didier Maleterre, Exail reinforces its position at the very core of defense operational requirements. His field experience and understanding of strategic challenges will bring our technological advances even closer to end-users and support their rapid deployment across defense markets.”
Vice-Admiral Maleterre added: “I am delighted to join a highly capable group — a true gem within France’s defense industrial base — that places technological innovation at the highest level in service of operational efficiency. Exail is recognized both in France and internationally for its ability to understand the needs of defense actors and deliver concrete, robust, and immediately deployable solutions. I look forward to helping strengthen the essential link between end-users and those who design the systems of tomorrow, to address the many security and defense challenges of an increasingly uncertain world.”
