Nathalie Messer has today been appointed President (Chief Executive Officer) of Edvance. She succeeds Thierry Schall, who has been appointed Director of Operations within EDF’s Projects and Industrial Partnerships Division.
On 5 June 2026, EDF and Framatome appointed Nathalie Messer as CEO of Edvance, their joint subsidiary (80% EDF, 20% Framatome). Operating in France, Great Britain and Germany, Edvance is responsible for the design and delivery of nuclear island projects for nuclear reactors. With nearly 2,500 employees from the EDF Group, Edvance and its subsidiary EDF EPR Engineering UK are notably involved in the EPR2 projects in France, as well as Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C in Great Britain.
Nathalie Messer succeeds Thierry Schall. Having led Edvance since the company’s creation in 2017, he has been appointed Director of Operations within EDF’s Projects and Industrial Partnerships Division.
Nathalie Messer has developed strong expertise in nuclear safety and engineering through her career at IRSN and later at EDF, which she joined in 2008. There, she held senior positions ranging from EPR certification to Technical Director of the Flamanville 3 project. Since 2020, she has headed CNEPE (EDF’s National Centre for Electricity Production Equipment), which is responsible for designing conventional systems for nuclear power plants, both for the existing fleet and the new nuclear programme.
About Nathalie Messer
Nathalie Messer began her career in 1995 at the French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), where she was responsible for reviewing numerous cases relating to the operating fleet, in support of the French Nuclear Safety Authority.
In 2008, she joined EDF within the unit responsible for the design and construction of the nuclear island for new nuclear reactors in France and internationally. After initially working on the UK EPR certification, she became Head of the Safety Department in 2011.
In January 2016, Nathalie Messer was appointed Technical Director within the Flamanville 3 Project Directorate, where she was responsible for technical decisions and for securing regulatory approvals.
In December 2020, she was appointed Director of CNEPE, the EDF engineering centre responsible for designing conventional systems for nuclear power plants, working on both the existing fleet and the new nuclear programme.
Nathalie Messer is a graduate of ENSTA.
About Thierry Schall
Thierry Schall has spent most of his career in nuclear engineering and operations.
He began his career working on commissioning and start-up projects for power plants, before taking on operational responsibilities at nuclear sites and in engineering for plant modifications. He then moved into senior management roles within EDF’s nuclear activities, covering safety, operations and engineering. In particular, he served as Director of the Chinon Nuclear Power Plant and later as Director of CNEPE, the engineering centre responsible for designing conventional systems for nuclear power plants.
Since June 2017, he has served as CEO of Edvance, the joint subsidiary of EDF and Framatome.
