Our history
Founded in December 2024, AFCEA follows in the tradition of the Association Française pour la Communauté Atlantique (AFCA), established in 1954 by figures including Georges Bidault, Antoine Pinay and René Pleven, which ceased its activities in the early 2000s.
Its founding members are Christelle Calmels, Benjamin Ducos, Camille Grand, Alexis Kummetat, Elie Tenenbaum and Alexandre Vulic. They were joined in 2025 by many experts and practitioners, and in June 2025 the association was recognised as the French branch of the Atlantic Treaty Association.
Our governance
Born of a shared commitment and a participatory spirit, the association relies on common rules and two governing bodies.
An association without a President, by choice
AFCEA has no president. This is a deliberate governance choice: its direction and decisions are carried collectively by the Steering Committee, supported by the Delegate General.
This collegial approach reflects who we are: a team of volunteers from diverse backgrounds – diplomats, military officers, researchers, business practitioners, young talents – where everyone has a voice, rather than an institution built around a single figure.
The Steering Committee
It runs the association and ensures the consistency of its work, events and publications. Its four to twenty members are appointed by the General Assembly for a renewable three-year term.
- Laurent Borzillo
- Christelle Calmels
- Benjamin Ducos
- Camille Grand
- Alexis Kummetat, Delegate General
- Erwan Pinilla
- Elie Tenenbaum
- Alexandre Vulic
The Advisory Council
It provides guidance on the association’s main strategic directions. Its members, twelve at most, are appointed for three years by the General Assembly on the proposal of the Steering Committee; it is chaired by a figure chosen by the Committee.
It is due to be set up in December 2026.
Our members
Our association runs entirely on the work of its volunteer contributors.
Experts in international relations and defence, people working in French or international institutions, teachers, researchers, and professionals from the private sector well beyond the defence industrial and technological base: they bring their skills and energy to our shared endeavour. Here are some of them; others, for personal or professional reasons, contribute without appearing here.
Bénédicte Borel
With the Atlantic Alliance at heart: after taking part in the association’s activities, she joined NATO, where she worked on NATO–Russia–Ukraine relations and on promoting ethics and integrity. She now continues her career in the service of France.
Laurent Borzillo
Founder of the Forum de Défense et de Stratégie (FDS), this researcher focuses on Franco-German, European and transatlantic cooperation – and naturally Franco-Canadian cooperation, as he divides his time between France and Montreal.
Christelle Calmels
A member of the founding team, she holds a PhD in political science from Sciences Po and is an associate researcher at CERI. A specialist in the dynamics of the Atlantic Alliance, she has conducted research at IRSEM, the DGRIS and NATO.
Patrick Chevallereau
A retired Vice Admiral, he served as Defence Attaché to the United Kingdom, head of the Euro-Atlantic division of the French Defence Staff, and at NATO (SACT, Norfolk). He is Vice-President of the Open Diplomacy Institute and a Distinguished Fellow at RUSI.
Benjamin Ducos
A senior executive in an international insurance group and a practitioner of risk, security and international relations, he teaches at Sciences Po. He is also a YATA France alumnus.
Samuel Faure
A specialist in European Union governance, armament policies and defence capitalism, and the author of several books, he is an associate professor at Sciences Po.
Marie Gay
One of our most international young talents: studies in Singapore, Toronto and London, five foreign languages, rugby and long-distance running – not to mention humanitarian work in Cambodia.
Camille Grand
A fellow at ECFR, he was NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment from 2016 to 2022. His career has taken him from the French Foreign and Defence Ministries to think tanks (FRS, IFRI). He is an associate professor at Sciences Po.
Alexis Kummetat
Delegate General. A consultant in organisational and human dynamics and a facilitator of complex projects, he developed his interest in strategic issues over more than twenty years in the military reserve.
Stephen Launay
A leading specialist on Raymond Aron and author of La guerre sans la guerre, he brings an academic perspective to the team. He is also a former youth member of ATA France.
Denis Mercier
Former Chief of Staff of the French Air Force (2012–2015), he was NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation from 2015 to 2018. He heads a consulting firm and sits on the boards of several high-tech companies.
Frédéric Pesme
A retired Brigadier General with hands-on experience of the transatlantic relationship at the French Defence Staff and at NATO. He was SACT’s Chief of Staff (2013–2015) and Deputy Director of the Policy and Capabilities Division of the International Military Staff in Brussels.
Erwan Pinilla
A former naval officer, specialist in digital affairs and health sovereignty, doctor of law and associate researcher at CEIE (Strasbourg), he works on hybrid confrontation and information warfare. He too is a former youth member of the ATA.
Patrick de Rousiers
French Military Representative to the European Union (2008–2010) and NATO (2009–2010), then Chairman of the European Union Military Committee (2012–2015). An outstanding pilot, he still pursues his passion in civilian life.
Elisabeth Sage
She helped found the ATA’s youth branch and took part in AFCA’s activities, and is back with AFCEA. An IT consultant based near Lyon, she contributes in particular to our activities outside Paris.
Elie Tenenbaum
Director of IFRI’s Security Studies Center and author of many reference books and studies, he is one of our most eminent experts. He is also one of the mainstays of the podcast Le Collimateur.
Théo Urvoy
Another recruit from our Canadian connections. Named a France-Canada “Personnalité d’avenir”, he specialises in Arctic issues among other topics and is involved in several organisations dedicated to collective security, including ours.
Alexandre Vulic
A diplomat and expert in defence issues in multinational settings, transatlantic relations and European affairs, specialising in Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans and Russia.
French branch of the ATA
Since June 2025, AFCEA has been officially recognised as the French branch of the Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA), which brings together the Atlantic associations of NATO’s Allies and partner countries. Our members take part in its bodies, assemblies and work, and we maintain links with the other associations recognised by NATO.
Our young members take part in the activities of the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association (YATA), the ATA’s youth branch. AFCEA attended the ATA’s 70th General Assembly in December 2024 and co-organises meetings with its counterparts, such as the NATO Association of Canada.
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This page was translated from French by Claude (AI). In case of any discrepancy, the French version prevails.