Where does your passion for submarines come from?
I was born in Valparaiso, the principal port of Chile and headquarters of the Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile) since 1817. My passion for submarines comes from my father who was also a submariner and had participated in submarine construction programs. I followed in his footsteps. Between 2002 and 2005, I was a part of the Chilean delegation in Cherbourg as well as a member of the very first crew onboard O'Higgins, the first Scorpène® for Chile.
You joined Naval Group following 28 years of service with the Chilean Navy. What did you take away from this experience?
I joined the Chilean Navy and started training in 1986, graduating as a naval officer at the end of 1990. I was Frigate Captain with 14 years of experience at sea when I retired after 28 years of service. I commanded and sailed on a surface ship and as a submariner, I was assigned to different posts - including posts abroad - submarine Commanding Officer being one of them. Over and above professional aspects, a team spirit, cohesion and loyalty were the guiding principles of these years with the Navy. As submariners, we share very strong ties; we are keenly aware of how much we depend on each other. The fact that we are cut off from the rest of the world for several months forges very strong ties. The same is true for our families. Thanks to social media, we continue to foster these ties even after having retired from the Navy.
You retired from the Chilean Navy in 2016. What motivated this decision?
I was Director at the school for submariners when I got a call from a very good friend who suggested that I move to France. As you can well imagine, the decision to take this step wasn’t mine alone; moving to another country is not only a professional adventure but one you share as a family! This is how I ended up joining Naval Group in 2017, taking up this opportunity to continue engaging in my passion for submarines. Now, after seven years at Naval Group, I can with confidence say that I really feel like an integral part of a highly qualified team with whom I share strong professional affinities and really close ties of friendship.
You presently occupy the role of Operational Marketing Manager-Submarines and are also an expert in the Scorpène®-class submarine. What does your work involve?
I am proud of occupying a position that allows me to promote Scorpène® submarines to navies the world over. This comes to me naturally after years of operations on board, including my involvement in construction. This operational knowledge certainly gives added value, reflected in a better understanding of customer needs and credibility in explaining the advantages of the Scorpène®. Practically speaking, I handle operational questions, always in tandem with sales teams and in close collaboration with architects for technical input, to jointly define a solution best-suited to the needs of customers and future prospects.