22 December 2025 - Safran successfully rolled out a major AI program by leveraging the expertise of an independent consultant from Malt Strategy. With full support from the Executive Committee, this critical project has become a benchmark for digital transformation within the Group.
Safran is a leading international high-technology group operating in the fields of aerospace (propulsion, equipment, interiors), space, and defence. Its mission: to make a lasting contribution to a safer world where air travel is increasingly environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. With a presence on every continent, the Group employs 100,000 people and holds leading global and European market positions, both independently and through partnerships.
Safran has launched an ambitious digital transformation programme to accelerate the integration of AI into component inspection and quality control across its factories. To ensure its success, the Safran Digital Inspection programme leveraged the expertise of a Malt Strategy consultant to establish and structure the Project Management Office (PMO).
Key programme milestones:
28 projects delivered in 2025
50 additional projects scheduled for 2026
120 staff members across six Group entities dedicated to the programme’s success
Automating part inspections in factories using AI enables Safran to save both time and money without compromising on the reliability of current controls, while also reducing the strain on inspectors. This approach allows the Group to accelerate and simplify quality control and visual inspection operations for aerospace components and assemblies.
To steer this strategic programme, François Desnoyer needed to quickly establish a central team senior enough for the scale of the challenge. “I was looking for a PMO profile to help me manage the programme, someone who had been exposed, externally, to other situations similar to the challenges I was facing”, explains François Desnoyer, Group Director for the Digital Inspection programme.
As a major investment involving multiple projects across several Group subsidiaries, this digital transformation is closely monitored by the Executive Committee through regular progress milestones.
With Malt, I found the same caliber of talent as at a strategy consulting firm: rigor and professionalism in synthesis, facilitation, and presentation, all while maintaining full control over the program's structure. I needed to move quickly, and the Malt Strategy team focused on the essentials: understanding my requirements, sourcing, rapid staffing, and ongoing support."
Safran selected Devshree Sembhoo, an independent consultant with a strong track record and former IT Project Management Consultant at PwC France. In her role as PMO, she leads the implementation of a project management strategy that ensures prioritization, oversight, and alignment with Safran’s strategic objectives. She also orchestrates coordination between internal technical teams and project teams across the six involved Group companies to ensure on-time delivery.
“I had to train myself in the technical and operational specifics of AI projects to be able to monitor deliverable quality and ensure they complied with methodological standards”, explains Devshree Sembhoo. This approach reflects a trend confirmed annually by the Malt Freelancing in Europe study: full-time freelancers invest on average 4 to 6 hours per week in training to stay marketable.
“Devshree brought exactly what I was looking for: the ability to transfer experience gained in other environments,” emphasises François Desnoyer. “She has real consulting and strategy experience acquired at PwC, with demands for formality, rigorous reporting, and is used to presenting to executive committees. She demonstrates tremendous work capacity and organisational skills. Moreover, her interpersonal skills and personal qualities meant she integrated seamlessly into the team and has now become a key member.”
A perfect illustration of the hybrid teams advocated by Malt: Devshree is the sole external expert in the core team. Her collaboration and commitment were greatly appreciated by all. That’s why, when the AIBuddy project won the first prize in the “Digital Transformation” category at the Safran Innovation Awards, she was invited on stage alongside them.
This project is a real source of pride for the Group. “A year ago, we were just two people at the corporate center launching the programme. Today, we are 40, forming a community of 120 including the mirror teams in our subsidiaries working together to achieve our goals. We were all proud to receive this innovation award from Olivier Andriès, CEO of Safran, along with the other 12 members of the core team,” shares François Desnoyer.
My primary value contribution was enhancing visibility across all projects within the programme to facilitate better understanding, anticipation, and effective decision-making. The client also values my ‘hands-on’ PMO approach, which balances strategic vision with operational engagement. By maintaining close proximity to the teams and conducting regular reviews, I can better understand on-the-ground realities, ensuring more reliable and informed programme management."
Devshree Sembhoo’s previous experience enabled her to take a solution-oriented approach, challenge current working methods and suggest improvements based on practices seen elsewhere. “She managed to progress very independently, with great professionalism”, concludes François Desnoyer. This collaboration shows that external expertise can genuinely drive transformation, even on the most strategic programmes.
Anyone who thinks freelancers can’t work on strategic topics is wrong! As an external, Devshree brought significant value thanks to her fresh perspective, especially as she does not come from the aerospace industry. A winning team is made up of a cohesive group of talents who, above all, share an amazing human adventure together!"
