The prefecture of Alpes-Maritimes will welcome a new official starting December 1, 2025. Céline Maquet will assume her duties as deputy prefect in charge of “urban policy and social policies.” Her appointment was made official by a decree from the President of the Republic dated November 6, 2025. She will succeed Jehane Bensedira, who has been appointed to other roles in Pas-de-Calais. This arrival marks a change in the prefectural organization chart, a few months after the appointment of prefect Laurent Hottiaux.
Céline Maquet’s career has developed within the services of the State, across several key territories and departments. She hails from Seine-Maritime and holds a degree in public law and local government administration. Her career began in 1999 at the Ministry of the Interior, within the Directorate General for Local Authorities, and then at the Directorate of Modernization and Territorial Action. She worked there until March 2006.
She then joined the prefecture of Charente-Maritime in April 2006. She held several positions related to economic issues, budgetary control, and legal supervision. Céline Maquet honed her skills as a project officer on economic issues before becoming head of the budgetary control and state grants office, and then head of the legal control office. These experiences placed her at the heart of the administrative functioning of local authorities and the management of local public policies.
In 2017, she became a project officer for economic development, employment, and training at the Secretariat General for Regional Affairs (SGAR) of Guadeloupe. She spent several years in the overseas territories dealing with economic and social issues. She returned to mainland France in 2019 and joined the prefecture of Var as director of citizenship and legality. She remained there until 2022.
Since July 2022, she has held the position of deputy prefect of the Blaye district in Gironde. There, she coordinated state territorial actions at the local level, handling a variety of issues, including those related to the economy, local authorities, and social challenges. The Prefecture of Alpes-Maritimes adds: “Since July 2022, Ms. Céline MAQUET has been the deputy prefect of the Blaye district (Gironde). She will take office in Alpes-Maritimes on Monday, December 1, 2025.”
A Mission Focused on Urban Policy and Social Issues
Her new position in the Alpes-Maritimes focuses on a specific area. She will become the deputy prefect in charge of “Urban Policy and Social Policies.” She will work with the prefect on cross-cutting issues affecting priority neighborhoods, actions in favor of integration, social cohesion, and equality. She will also oversee contractual programs between the state and local authorities, such as city contracts or those related to urban renewal.
She arrives in a department marked by strong territorial inequalities. The challenges vary between coastal areas, dense urban neighborhoods, and hinterland spaces. Her missions will also involve relationships with associations, prevention mechanisms, and actions taken within the framework of social policies.
Céline Maquet replaces Jehane Bensedira, who held this position for two years. The latter has been appointed deputy prefect of Boulogne-sur-Mer. She will assume her new role on December 2, 2025. The Prefecture emphasizes: “Ms. Jehane BENSEDIRA, the current deputy prefect in charge of the mission; Urban Policy and Social Policies with the prefect of Alpes-Maritimes, is appointed as the deputy prefect of Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais).” She has become known for her commitment to issues related to combating violence against women.
The arrival of Céline Maquet thus represents a continuity in a strategic role for the department. She will bring her field experience, acquired in several prefectures, and her knowledge of local issues. She will assume her new responsibilities from the first days of December.
