Thales S.A. announced that Emmanuel Chiva, France's Chief of Defence Procurement, was appointed by decree on the 26th of September 2022 to represent the French State, by virtue of its golden share, on the Thales Board of Directors. He replaces Joel Barre. Emmanuel Chiva to represent French State, by virtue of its golden share, on the Thales Board of Directors.

Emmanuel Chiva is a graduate of Ecole Normale Superieure and a specialist in biomathematics. He was a member of the IHEDN national institute for higher defence studies (49th session on armaments and the defence economy). From 2018 to 2022, Emmanuel Chiva was the director of the Defence Innovation Agency and a member of the executive committee of the French defence procurement agency (DGA).

He was instrumental in the creation of the Defence Innovation Fund, the Red Team initiative, and the promotion of open innovation for France's operational forces. He was made a Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur in 2019. As an entrepreneur, he founded and managed thirteen companies in the field of artificial intelligence and military simulation.

Emmanuel Chiva is a Navy reserve captain and a member of the scientific council of the Gendarmerie Nationale. For three years, he served as Vice President of the association of members of the IHEDN and as an advisor for the Institute's research programmes. Emmanuel Chiva was appointed Chief of Defence Procurement by the French President on the 29th of July 2022, upon nomination by the French Ministry for the Armed Forces.