“Contrary to other western Intelligence Services, the DGSE masters all the intelligence collecting methods: human sources (HUMINT), technical sensors (SIGINT and satellite imagery), operational means and open-source processing. Intelligence collected through collaboration with other Services, national and foreign, is positively increasing.”
DGSE : Who we are?
The DGSE — The General Directorate for External Security (French: Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure, DGSE) — is France’s external intelligence agency. The official website of the DGSE has not been updated since July 2017 and still refers to Bernard Bajolet as the General Director! Therefore, the chart discussed in this post may no longer be current. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY
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The French equivalent to the United Kingdom’s MI6 and the United States’ CIA, the DGSE operates under the direction of the French Ministry of Defence and works alongside its domestic counterpart, the DGSI (General Directorate for Internal Security), in providing intelligence and safeguarding national security, notably by performing paramilitary and counterintelligence operations abroad.
As with most other intelligence agencies, details of its operations and organization are not made public. [WIKIPEDIA] The DSGE’s head office is in the 20th arrondissement of Paris.
The DGSE is considered one of the world’s most respected intelligence agencies, especially in regards to economic intelligence
Organization Chart
Beside the General-Directorate headed by Bernard Emié [since June 26 2017], the DGSE includes the following 5 Directorates:
Bernard Emié
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Directorate of Administration
Current Director: [Pierre Pouëssel (June 2008 – December 2015)] Charles Moreau ( January 2016)
5 Services: Budget, Human Resources, equipment, Infrastructures and Legal issues
Directorate of Strategy
Current Director: [Christophe Bigot (August 2013 – April 2016); Martin Briens (?) (April 2016 — May 2017) ] ???
Directorate of Intelligence
Current Director: [François Sénémaud (September 2012 – April 2016.] Marc Pimond (May 2016)
4 Services: Counter-Proliferation, Counter-Terrorism, Economy, Geopolitics and Counter-Intelligence
Technical Directorate
Current Director: Patrick Pailloux (February 2014)
Responsible for electronic intelligence and devices
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Directorate of Operations
Current Director: Général Éric Bucquet (August 2012)
Action Division (Responsible for clandestine operations)
However in June 2018, it was rumoured that General Eric Bucquet could take another job and be replaced by Pierre de Nortbécourt.
“Le général Eric Bucquet devrait être nommé à la tête de la Direction du renseignement et de la sécurité de la défense (DRSD, ex-DPSD), l’un des six services du premier cercle de la communauté du renseignement. Eric Bucquet est actuellement directeur des opérations (DO) de la DGSE. Le général Pierre de Nortbécourt pourrait lui succèder.”
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The Law of March 11 2017
Under the previous law of March 10 2015, the Intelligence Directorate had 4 services:
Counter-Prolifereation of WMDs
Counter-Terrorism
Economic Intelligence
geopolitical and Counter-Intelligence
Under the new law, the Intelligence Directorate will have 5 services:
Counter-Prolifereation of WMDs
Counter-Terrorism
Economic Intelligence
Foreign Politics Intelligence
Overview and Support of Research
Analysis: The new law — which enters into force on April 26 2017 — is almost certainly the “brain child” of Marc Pimond, the current Director of Intelligence, who succeeded to François Sénémaud when he became Ambassador to Tehran in April 2016.
Task & Characteristics
The DGSE’s activities, defined by the Political Authorities, are exclusively tasked to protect French interests. Its activities particularly contribute to protecting French citizens anywhere in the world. For this particular mission, the DGSE closely works with all the national security services.
Its scope of action mainly takes place outside France’s borders, using clandestine research methods.
The DGSE has several characteristics. It is at the same time:
An external Intelligence Service, collecting secret information abroad that concerns national security. By communicating collected elements to the Authorities, DGSE actively participates in the decision-making process. The DGSE is present, of course, in crises theatres and where French interests are at risk.
A Special Service enabling a presence where Diplomatic channels can no longer be applied. Keeping the means deployed and the targeted objectives secret also guarantees the security of our agents.
An Integrated Service, contrary to other western Intelligence Services, DGSE masters all the intelligence collecting methods: human sources (HUMINT), technical sensors (SIGINT and satellite imagery), operational means and open-source processing. Intelligence collected through collaboration with other Services, national and foreign, is positively increasing. [DGSE: Who we are?]
REFERENCES
DGSE — Official Website
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Who Is Who in World Intelligence and Security Agencies : DGSE ORGANIZATION CHART
Who Is Who in World Intelligence and Security Agencies : DGSE ORGANIZATION CHART [UPDATE — September 2017]
France — DGSE ORGANIZATION CHART [September 2018]
Intel Today 