Key Skills

Job Description

Boer & Croon / De Vroedt & Thierry Executive Search is supporting Thales Netherlands in the search for a new Chief Information Officer (CIO). Thales is a global technology leader operating across defence, aerospace, space, cybersecurity and digital security. In the Netherlands, Thales plays a strategically important role in the design, engineering and production of advanced defence and security systems, including radar technology, naval systems, communication solutions and integrated command-and-control technologies. Thales Netherlands employs more than 3,000 people, primarily across Hengelo and Amsterdam, and generates close to €900 million in annual revenue. The opportunity Thales Netherlands is entering an important new phase. Growing demand for defence and security solutions is driving significant growth and increasing the scale and complexity of the organisation. To support this development, Thales is further professionalising its operations and moving from a historically decentralised and project-oriented environment towards greater standardisation, industrialisation and harmonisation. IT plays a critical role in this transformation. The ambition is to create a secure, reliable and scalable digital foundation that enables the organisation to grow while continuing to meet stringent requirements regarding cybersecurity, compliance, availability and operational reliability. The new CIO will lead an IS/IT organisation of approximately 180 employees, organised across 17 agile squads, with around 14 direct reports in the IT Leadership Team. The CIO reports directly to the COO of Thales Netherlands and is part of the Dutch leadership structure, while also operating within the international CIO network and maintaining a functional relationship with Group IT. The assignment The primary mandate is to build and lead a future-proof IT organisation that combines security, stability and scalability with tangible business impact. The CIO will translate Thales’ business strategy into a clear multi-year IT agenda and drive the transformation towards a more standardised, modern and high-performing IT environment. A key challenge will be to simplify and harmonise the existing application and technology landscape while maintaining the operational stability required in a highly complex and security-sensitive environment. Key priorities include developing and executing the IT strategy, strengthening governance and demand management, improving IT performance and predictability, modernising and rationalising applications and infrastructure, and further strengthening cybersecurity, compliance and cyber resilience. The CIO will also play an important role in improving the internal user experience and positioning IT increasingly as a business enabler. Enterprise architecture, ERP and PLM-related transformation, security-by-design and readiness for future Group-wide technology programmes are important elements of the agenda. Thales Netherlands is also preparing for a future global ERP transformation towards 2030. The candidate We are looking for an experienced enterprise IT leader who has successfully led sizeable IT organisations through significant transformation, modernisation and growth. The ideal candidate combines strategic perspective with strong execution. They understand how to bring structure, stability and performance to a complex IT environment while simultaneously driving change. Experience within an international matrix organisation and a complex industrial, engineering, technology-driven or highly regulated environment is highly relevant. Candidates should bring substantial senior IT leadership experience, ideally including end responsibility as CIO or in a comparable position, combined with a strong track record in areas such as IT strategy, governance, operating-model development, large-scale IT transformation, ERP programmes, enterprise architecture, application rationalisation and cybersecurity. Beyond technology, this is a significant leadership and change role. The successful candidate is pragmatic, resilient and execution-oriented, creates focus and accountability, and is able to translate strategic ambitions into visible and measurable progress. They can navigate a complex stakeholder landscape, bring people along in transformation and create alignment between the business, IT and international stakeholders. Ultimately, the CIO will help position IT as a strategic partner for the continued growth of Thales Netherlands, creating the scalable, secure and high-performing foundation required for the organisation’s next phase.

Core Responsibilities

Lead an approximately 180-person IS/IT organisation and translate Thales Netherlands’ business strategy into a multi-year IT agenda focused on security, stability, scalability and business impact. Modernise and harmonise applications and infrastructure, strengthen governance and cybersecurity, improve IT performance and user experience, and prepare for future Group-wide technology programmes, including ERP transformation.

Requirements

The ideal candidate has substantial senior IT leadership experience, preferably as a CIO or in a comparable role, and a record of leading large-scale transformation, modernisation and growth. They bring experience in complex international, industrial, engineering, technology-driven or regulated environments, alongside strategic and execution capabilities, strong stakeholder leadership and expertise in areas such as governance, ERP, enterprise architecture and cybersecurity.