Our leadership team includes the brightest and best range of experienced industry experts and nuclear professionals who will drive the NUWARD SMR project to success.
Julien Garrel
Julien Garrel began his career in 2002 in the EDF Group’s Computer Networks and Telecommunications division, before joining the commercial division in 2005.
After three years in the internal audit team, he became General Secretary of EDF Optimal Solutions, a subsidiary specialising in the development, design and implementation of energy efficiency solutions. He went on to hold various strategic roles at the EDF Group management level, including leading the transformation of the BtoB business model.
In 2021, he joined the Nuclear Fuel Division as Director of the Uranium upstream cycle, later serving as Deputy Director of EDF's Nuclear Fuel Division.
Since January 2025, Julien Garrel has taken on the role of Executive President of the NUWARD subsidiary. His extensive experience in strategic roles will be invaluable as he leads NUWARD into its next phase of development.
Julien Garrel graduated with a Master’s degree from Institut Supérieur d’Electronique de Paris (I.S.E.P), with a specialisation in telecommunications, information networks, electronics and big data.
Executive President of NUWARD
Pascal Aurillard
Pascal Aurillard began his career as a buyer in the automotive industry, before moving to the nuclear sector when he joined EDF in 1999.
He spent more than 10 years in purchasing as a buyer, team manager, and then purchasing manager for all components for the nuclear island of both Flamanville 3 (FA3) and Hinkley Point C (HPC) projects. He then joined the HPC project in 2013 as Project Control Manager before becoming Project Director for the “responsible designer” package in 2016. In 2019, Pascal has been placed in charge of the Jaïtapur Project Management, in charge of preparing the project to build 6 EPRs in India.
In 2023, he joined NUWARD as Chief Operating Officer. Since 2025, Pascal Aurillard has also been Programme performance Director.
Pascal is a graduate of EDHEC Lille (Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales du Nord) and he holds a Project Director certification IPMA A (International Project Management Association program).
Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Program performance Director of NUWARD
Sandro Baldi
Sandro Baldi started his career in 2004 as a research fellow for Surrey University in the United Kingdom in the field of fluid dynamics.
He joined EDF Energy in 2006 as a nuclear safety engineer working on the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) for the UK EPR design. In 2008, he joined Nuclear New Build (NNB), EDF Energy division in charge of delivering the Hinkley Point C (HPC) and Sizewell C projects where he held various positions in project control and project management before moving to EDF France as Head of Schedule Management for engineering activities for HPC. In 2016 he was appointed as Head of Products and Strategy within the nuclear business development division of EDF.
Sandro was appointed as NUWARD Commercial Director in 2021.
Sandro has a degree in Nuclear Engineering from the Politecnico di Torino (Italy) and holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering awarded by the University of London.
Commercial Director of NUWARD
Damien Drocourt
Damien Drocourt started his career as Assistant Project Manager in the oil and gas sector and then become Project Manager for electrical and I&C fields for various projects in the gas and water treatment sector.
He joined EDF in 2012 as Project Manager for the Electrical installations of the Hinkley Point C (HPC) project. Then spending five years in the United Kingdom as program manager, leading the engineering, procurement and manufacturing for the mechanical, electrical and HVAC contracts of HPC.
Damien joined the NUWARD project in 2022 as Procurement and Supply Chain Chief Officer before becoming Chief Product Officer in 2025.
Damien graduated from the Université de Belfort Montbéliard in France.
Chief Product Officer of NUWARD
Roland Frack
Roland Frack joined EDF Group in 2009 as a nuclear manufacturing inspector and he contributed to the implementation of measures to strengthen the control of manufacturing for the nuclear projects.
From 2017, he became an analyst in the Group's finance department for the regulation of nuclear tariffs, then Chief of staff to the EDF Group’s SVP, Finance.
Roland Frack joined the NUWARD project as Financial Director in 2021.
Roland is a graduate of the Institut Catholique d'Arts et Métiers and Sciences Po Paris.
Financial Director of NUWARD
Julie Gougne
After a few years as an engineer and product manager in the medical field, Julie Gougne joined EDF Group in 2009. For her first ten years with EDF, she was Manager of IT Services and led various transformation projects.
Julie joined the NUWARD project in 2022 as HR Manager and is now the Human Resources & Workspace Director of NUWARD.
Julie is a graduate of the “Institut National des Sciences Appliquées » (INSA) of Lyon in France and she holds a Diploma in Human Resources.
In 2023, NUWARD will recruit 40 engineers: If you’re interested in joining one of the most active and credible major projects securing the future of European energy production, apply now!
Human Resources & Workplace Director of NUWARD
Delphine Martin-Lavigne
Delphine began her career as a lawyer in a law firm where, for six years, she worked on litigation and business law advisory cases with a focus on intellectual property law. In 2001, she joined Atos as a corporate lawyer responsible. She then took her first steps in the nuclear sector as a lawyer in international contract law within the nuclear energy branch of Alstom Power.
In 2013, Delphine joined Areva as the legal head of the Technical and Engineering Department (DTI) and intellectual property for the Framatome Group. In 2021, she took the lead of Contract Management for the “Hinkley Point C” project.
In 2024, Delphine joined the NUWARD subsidiary as Chief Legal Officer. She handles intellectual property issues, contract negotiations, and legal support in interface with the NUWARD Executive Committee. With her team, Delphine notably supports the contract managers’ team in managing relationships with NUWARD’s partners and subcontractors.
Delphine holds a Master’s degree in Business Law from the University of Paris II and a Master 2 DJCE - Business Lawyer from the University of Rennes I. She also holds the Certificate of Aptitude for the Legal Profession (CAPA).
Chief Legal Officer of NUWARD
Anne-Sophie Schmitt
Anne-Sophie started her career as a management consultant in the telecommunications and electronics sectors. In 2005, she joined a software publisher, where she contributed to the export development before becoming its Managing Director. In 2008, she assisted shareholders and the new acquirer during the company's sale, and then took the responsibility for the product strategy and the international distribution channels.
In 2014, Anne-Sophie joined EDF as a Supply Chain Engineer in the nuclear engineering sector (CNEPE). She then became Head of Contract Management at Edvance for the Hinkley Point C project.
In 2022, she joined NUWARD as Coordination and External Relations Director.
Anne-Sophie is a graduate of Supélec (Ecole Supérieure d’Electricité) and holds a Master of Science in Control Systems awarded by the Imperial College of London.
Coordination & external relations Director of NUWARD