Paris, 21 January 2022 - Klecha & Co, is an independent European investment bank specialised in digital M&A, which opened its Paris office one year ago. With five people on site, Klecha & Co has quickly established itself as the leading specialist in cyber security investment banking in Paris. Last year's appointment of Arnaud Coustillière marked the start of the consulting business with a remarkable level of seniority. The arrival of Philippe Hello seals the acceleration of Klecha & Co.'s specialisation in defence and security expertise, and more generally its consolidation in the French and European digital environment.
Philippe Hello, 61 years old, entered the Naval School in 1980, specialising in underwater warfare, he graduated from the Ecole de Guerre and was an auditor at the Institut des hautes études de défense nationale.
Within the central administration, he has held various positions: from 1990 to 1992 aide-de-camp to Admiral Coatanéa, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) during the Gulf War and the professionalisation of the armed forces, from 1996 to 1999 programme officer in the CNS "underwater combat" office, from 2008 to 2010 operational coherence officer "engagement and combat" in the "capability coherence" division of the Armed Forces Staff (EMA).
From 2010 to 2012 he was deputy director "personnel management" and head of the naval personnel assessment centre at the navy's military personnel directorate; from 2012 to 2015 director and commander of the Naval School, and from 2015 to 2018 director of central administration, deputy to the director of human resources of the Ministry of Defence (DRH-MD).
From 2018 to September 2021, he was director of human resources at the Ministry of Defence and was responsible for the resolution of the military pay crisis with the Louvois software.
Philippe Hello has commanded four warships, he is Commander of the Legion d' honneur and Commander of the Ordre National du Mérite, holder of the Cross of Military Valour with citation, Officer of Maritime Merit, holder of the Commemorative and Overseas Medals with clasps "Hormuz", "Middle East", "Ex-Yugoslavia" and "Afghanistan", Commander with Swords "Pro Merito Militense" of the Sovereign Order of Malta.
Philippe Hello, stated:
"I am very happy to be able to contribute to this magnificent ambition of building European digital sovereignty by bringing my experience of strategic security issues but also, and perhaps above all, of HR issues and organisation's transformation. Like any bold achievement, it is above all a human adventure which requires a precise course to be set but which will require a motivated and trained crew to stay the course over time”.
Stephane Klecha, Managing Partner di Klecha & Co., stated:
“The arrival of a prestigious profile such as Philippe Hello in our French team complements that of Arnaud Coustillière and provides Klecha & Co. with the best French team to carry out M&A transactions in sensitive environments in France within a European context that is set to consolidate in order to create leaders capable of competing with their international counterparts. Barbara Poggiali, former CEO of the cyber division of the Italian defence company Leonardo, has also just joined the structure for Italy”.