Ross McInnes

A graduate of the University of Oxford, Ross McInnes began his career in 1977 with Kleinwort Benson in London and then in Rio de Janeiro. In 1980, he joined Continental Bank (which became Bank of America) where he successively held several positions in corporate finance operations, first in Chicago and then in Paris.

In 1989, Ross McInnes joined Eridania Beghin-Say, where he was appointed Chief Financial Officer in 1991, and a member of the Board of Directors in 1999. The following year, Ross McInnes joined Thomson-CSF (now Thales) as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and worked on the transformation of the Group until 2005.

He then joined the PPR Group (now Kering) as Senior Vice President for Finance and Strategy, then became a member of the Supervisory Board of Générale de Santé in 2006. He temporarily chaired the Management Board of Générale de Santé from March until June 2007. He also held the position of Vice-Chairman of Macquarie Capital Europe, specializing primarily in network investments.

In March 2009, Ross McInnes joined Safran and became Executive Vice President, Economic and Financial Affairs in June of that year. He served as a member of the Safran Management Board from July 2009 to April 2011, then as Deputy Chief Executive Officer until April 2015.

On April 23, 2015, he became Chairman of the Safran Board of Directors. In February 2017, he joined SICOM, the general partner of VIVESCIA Industries, as a “qualified person.” From February of 2015 to November 2024, Ross McInnes also served as Special Representative for economic relations with Australia, appointed by the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs in the context of French economic diplomacy.

From November 2016 to November 2019, he was a member of the High Committee on Corporate Governance. In October 2017, the French Prime Minister appointed Ross McInnes Co‑Chairman of the Public Action 2022 Committee to propose actions to reform public policies. The Committee has since achieved its goals.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of Safran

Offices and positions in companies outside the Group

• Chairman of the Board of Directors of Safran(1)
• Lead Director at Lectra(1) (until April 2025)

(1) Listed company.

• Director at Lectra(1) (until 2020)
• Director at Eutelsat Communications(1) (until 2022)

(1) Listed company.

• Administration and management of large companies
• ESG: Environmental/Climate and Governance
• Finance
• Industrial sector
• International experience