Admiral Pierre Vandier

On 20 June 2024, the North Atlantic Council approved the nomination of Admiral Pierre Vandier to the post of Supreme Allied Commander Transformation.

Admiral Vandier joined the French Naval Academy in 1987, opting for naval aviation. He was first assigned to the frigate Commandant Bory, taking part in operation Artimon and in support of operation Daguet during the First Gulf War in 1991. After training as a fighter pilot, he joined the Landivisiau fighter squadrons on Super-Etendard, with multiple combat missions in Bosnia (1995/1997) and Kosovo (1999). After switching to Rafale in 2001, he commanded Squadron 12F, flying several combat missions in Afghanistan (Agapanthe mission). From 2005 to 2007 he was the Deputy Head of Operations aboard the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, whose aircraft provided support to NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. In 2007, he took command of the frigate Surcouf that took part in operation Thalatine, in the wake of the taking of hostages on the Ponant.  He commanded the Charles de Gaulle which deployed twice to the Indian Ocean, in 2013 and in 2015 for mission Arromanches, when it provided support to operation Chammal in Iraq.

He served as Programme Delivery Officer within the Capability Planning Division of the French Joint Staff, heading the Rafale, NH90 and Tiger programmes, before becoming Chief of operations for the African Zone at the Joint Military Operations Centre. He directed the Crisis Unit for operation Serval in 2013.

In 2017, he was appointed Coordinating Authority for International Relations at Navy Headquarters before serving as Deputy Commander of the Mediterranean Maritime Region and Commander Naval Base Toulon.

He was appointed head of the Military Cabinet of the French Minister of Defence in 2018 before being appointed Chief of the French Navy and in 2023 Vice Chief of Defence of the French Armed Forces.

He is a Commandeur de la Légion d’honneur and of the Mérite maritime. His awards include the croix de guerre des théâtres d’opérations extérieures, the croix de Valeur militaire, the médaille du combattant, médaille de l’aéronautique and médaille d’or de la Défense nationale.

In addition to the Naval Academy, he attended the Collège Interarmées de Défense, the Centre des Hautes Etudes Militaires and the Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale.

Admiral Vandier is married to France, they have six children.