Barbara Olszak (Naval Group) takes over the presidency of Pôle Mer Méditerranée
Barbara Olszak, an executive at Naval Group, has been elected president of Pôle Mer Méditerranée, succeeding Laurent Moser.
The Pôle Mer Méditerranée develops a carbon-free and sovereign blue economy, generating sustainable growth and jobs. Active in the Sud, Occitanie, and Corse regions, it unites a network of nearly 500 stakeholders, of which three-quarters are companies and one-quarter are research and training organizations.
For 20 years, the cluster has structured its action around six Strategic Action Areas: Defense, safety and maritime security; Naval and yachting; Marine energy and mineral resources; Marine biological resources; Coastline and marine environment; Ports, infrastructure and logistics.
A new president facing future challenges
Following its board of directors meeting on May 21, Barbara Olszak was therefore elected president of the association. She highlighted the challenges ahead and her desire to unite the maritime ecosystem: "More than ever, the acceleration of technological transformations, the growing challenges of sovereignty, competitiveness, and ecological transition call for mobilizing all stakeholders in the maritime ecosystem."
She added: "The Pôle Mer Méditerranée occupies a unique position to bring together companies, scientific, academic, and institutional stakeholders in order to contribute to the development of an innovative, sustainable, and competitive maritime and coastal economy. Together, we will continue to bring forth and develop projects, cooperations, and innovations that will strengthen the attractiveness of our territories and the competitiveness of the maritime sector."
Barbara Olszak's background
Barbara Olszak brings to the cluster more than twenty years of experience in the naval sector. A graduate of INSA and holder of an MBA obtained in Canada, she joined Naval Group in 2004.
She then climbed the ranks, holding management responsibilities in the areas of programs, bids, engineering, and service development for French and international clients.
Currently Director of Partnership Projects within the Drones and Autonomous Systems Division, she is dedicated to developing industrial and technological cooperations in the field of autonomous naval systems.
The record of the outgoing president
During his two successive terms, Laurent Moser steered the implementation of the cluster's strategy and the deployment of new roadmaps, within the framework of successive phases of the competitiveness clusters. He was one of the main architects of the creation of the new associative structure of the Pôle Mer Méditerranée, officialized in December 2025.
"I was very happy to participate in this collective and rewarding adventure. I have full confidence in Barbara to tackle the new phase 6 of the competitiveness clusters and to support the cluster and its members in their new challenges," commented Laurent Moser.
Photo DR.