Jacques Desclaux was named Chief Executive Officer of Roxel at the Board of Directors meeting held last Wednesday. He replaces David Quancard, who is moving to a new position within Safran.

Jacques Desclaux, 57, graduated from the Ecole Centrale de Paris engineering school.

He started his career with Alsthom-Atlantique, working on industrial turbomachinery, then joined Snecma in 1984, taking part in the development of the Vulcain cryogenic engine (which powers the main stage of Ariane 5) at the Vernon plant west of Paris.
 
In 1993 he moved to Snecma Propulsion Solide in Bordeaux, where he was first Head of the MPS program (solid rocket booster for Ariane 5), then Head of the M51 program (solid propulsion systems for France's strategic ballistic missile). In 1999 he was named Vice President, Production and Engineering at G2P (joint venture between Snecma and SNPE).

Jacques Desclaux moved to Snecma's Military Engine division in 2000 as director of operations for the M88, powerplant of the Dassault Aviation Rafale multirole fighter, leading to the engine's qualification. He joined Europrop International (EPI) in October 2003 as Vice president, Programs and Operations, and was then named Executive Vice President, a position he held until the certification of the TP400.

From February 2011 until this latest appointment, he was Chairman and CEO of PowerJet, the joint venture between Snecma (Safran, France) and NPO Saturn (Russia) in charge of the production and marketing of the SaM146 regional jet engine.

Roxel, the European leader in tactical propulsion, is an equally-owned subsidiary of MBDA and Herakles.

Roxel designs, develops and manufactures all types of rocket motor used in tactical weapon systems and cruise missiles deployed worldwide.

Roxel provides a complete range of propulsion solutions for all manufacturers of missiles, rockets and other tactical weapons, whether for new systems or to upgrade current systems.

Roxel delivers world-class solutions based on state-of-the-art technologies for ramjets, hypervelocity and variable thrust motors, meeting user requirements for maneuverability, stealth and low vulnerability (insensitive munitions).

Roxel is an Anglo-French Company with facilities in both England and France.