Olivier Jacques, defence expert and former French Navy submariner, joins SEA.AI

Digitalisation, Digitalisation newsletter

October 27, 2026

©SEA.AI - Marcus Wirrelmann (CEO) and Olivier Jaques (Sales Manager France) credit:SeaA.I

SEA.AI appoints Olivier Jacques for its French entity, strengthening its response to growing demand from naval and security operators for passive machine vision at sea.

As naval forces increasingly adopt autonomous platforms, advanced sensor technologies and AI-powered systems to enhance situational awareness and operational decision-making, SEA.AI is strengthening its presence in the defence sector.

The company has appointed Olivier Jacques as Sales Manager for its French entity. A former French Navy submarine officer with a strong background in military operations and defence innovation, Jacques will support SEA.AI’s growing engagement with naval forces, maritime security organisations and autonomous systems operators.

Operational experience, industry perspective

Olivier Jacques served 27 years in the French Navy, including 20 years within the Submarine Forces, where he developed extensive operational and leadership experience. During the latter part of his military career, he also contributed to defence innovation initiatives in collaboration with the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), strengthening his understanding of the relationship between operational requirements and emerging technologies.

An additional layer of maritime perception

Originally developed for offshore racing, SEA.AI’s machine vision technology is now deployed across more than 1,300 vessels and maritime infrastructure sites, spanning recreational, commercial and professional applications.

SEA.AI combines EO/IR sensing, edge computing and machine vision to deliver real-time visual intelligence directly onboard. By processing imagery at the edge, the technology strengthens Maritime Domain Awareness and provides an additional perception layer for ISR, remote and autonomous operations.

Machine vision complements radar, AIS and other onboard sensors by detecting and classifying objects at the surface that may remain invisible or difficult to detect with other sensing technologies, including small craft, people in the water and other non-cooperative or low-signature targets.

Together, these capabilities help operators build a more complete picture of activity at sea, supporting decision-making in complex maritime environments and enhancing the situational awareness of uncrewed platforms.

“Demand from the defence market is increasing significantly. Naval operators are looking for new ways to strengthen situational awareness across both crewed and autonomous platforms. Olivier brings operational experience together with a strong understanding of how defence programmes are developed and procured. This combination will be invaluable as we expand our presence in this market.”

Marcus Warrelmann, CEO, SEA.AI

“Throughout my career in the French Navy and the defence industry, I have been driven by a common ambition: bridging the gap between operational needs and technological innovation. As maritime operations become increasingly complex, I firmly believe that AI-powered machine vision will play a key role in enhancing situational awareness, supporting decision-making and strengthening maritime security. I am excited to join SEA.AI and contribute to bringing these innovative capabilities to naval and security operators.”

Olivier Jacques, Sales Manager France, SEA.AI

Looking ahead to Euronaval 2026

Olivier Jacques will be with SEA.AI at Euronaval 2026, taking place from 3 to 6 November in Paris. The event will provide an opportunity to engage with naval and defence stakeholders and demonstrate how machine vision can complement existing sensor architectures across crewed and autonomous maritime platforms.

Meet SEA.AI at Euronaval 2026, stand 6E72.