Paris, July 9th, 2020 — Airbus DS GEO SA is the French division of Airbus Defense and Space, a global leading provider of optical and radar satellite imaging as well as air defense and army land command and control solutions. The Group continues to grow in a highly sensitive industry. Against this background, data protection and data processing encryption are top priorities, regulated by many protocols. In this context, the management of actively secure digital certificates is a core, strategic activity. In early May, Airbus DS GEO SA issued a tender in an effort to cut costs. The Group then selected CertEurope, France’s number one certification authority and a subsidiary of Oodrive, the European leader in sensitive data management. This decision reflects the quality and strength of CertEurope’s technical offer coupled with its teams’ responsiveness.
A natural fit
Airbus DS GEO SA’s IT department manages a cluster of over 150 actively secure electronic certificates which process sensitive company data internally and externally. Such management calls for a partner with a proven track record. In May, the Group decided to review its SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate management. To this end, Airbus DS GEO SA launched a tender with several software publishers including Oodrive through its CertEurope subsidiary. A decision was made based on several criteria: the quality of the service offer, responsiveness, company DNA, and service costs. In light of these criteria, Oodrive was a natural fit.
Jérôme Bertocco, IT Business Partner at Airbus DS GEO SA, commented: “Oodrive provides a personalized service that meets all our needs. On top of this, as two French companies, we have a shared culture of security expertise. Oodrive’s in-depth knowledge of ANSSI (French Cybersecurity Agency)—also one of our key partners—was an additional mark of trustworthiness.”
Two French players join forces with a focus on security !
Carol Rinaldi, Project Supply Manager at Airbus DS GEO SA, commented: “We had positive talks with the sales team. There is a real sense of momentum and a desire to collaborate. The talks were both open and constructive.”
The partnership was signed in early June. Airbus’s teams are currently receiving training in how to use the tools for managing Oodrive’s certificate cluster with operations set to start in mid-July.
Jeremy Leleu, Head of Sales at Oodrive, commented: “Our project with Airbus DS GEO SA confirms the need to invest in security and strengthen our collaborations with French players such as Oodrive. We are proud to have been selected. More than ever, IT security is a strongly positioned market, as demonstrated by the signing of this contract directly after the lockdown period ended.”
About Airbus DS GEO SA
Airbus DS GEO SA is a leading supplier and the number two global provider of commercial satellite imagery, C2ISR systems, and related services. Airbus DS GEO SA has unrivalled expertise in satellite imagery acquisition, data processing, fusion and dissemination as well as intelligence extraction allied to significant command and control capabilities. The company is able to create a comprehensive situational awareness picture and deliver sophisticated end-to-end solutions across all commercial, institutional and defense markets. Airbus DS GEO SA boasts an extensive portfolio spanning the entire geo-information value chain. It leverages exclusive commercial access to optical and radar constellation for its 12 satellites and partner satellites, combined with extensive applications experience.
