François Jacq was appointed Chairman & CEO of Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), the French space agency.

At the cabinet meeting of the French government, Friday 23 May, François Jacq was appointed Chairman & CEO of Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), the French space agency. A graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique and the Paris School of Mines (Mines-ParisTech), where he also obtained his PhD, François Jacq has held a range of posts in the French civil service and at the helm of research and technology organizations.

François Jacq was notably head of energy demand and markets at the ministry in charge of energy, and special advisor to the Prime Minister. He was chief executive of ANDRA, the national radioactive waste management agency, from 2000 to 2005. He was Chairman & CEO of the national weather service Meteo- France from 2009 to 2013, and subsequently Chairman & CEO of Ifremer, the French institute of marine research and exploration, from 2013 to 2018. He is also a past President of the Council of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).

Until his appointment to head CNES, François Jacq was Administrator General of CEA, the French atomic energy and alternative energies commission (2018-2025), and President of the European Association of Research and Technology Organisations (EARTO).

CNES at a glance

Founded in 1961, CNES is a programmatic agency, field centre and space operator encompassing all of the functions required to shape and execute the French government’s space strategy, and to deploy public policies that rely on the space sector (land management, agriculture, health, telecommunications, natural disasters, defence, etc.).

As one of the world’s leading space powers, and a key contributor to Europe’s space policy, our nation is deploying an ambitious strategy guided by four key goals that CNES is pursuing.

Maintaining and strengthening France and Europe’s strategic independence

With space fast becoming a competitive battleground, we must guarantee our ability to access space, develop civil and military systems and use our infrastructures, services and space data.

Sustaining and extending France’s scientific excellence

Space and exploration are driving advances in science in many fields of investigation. CNES is promoting French research’s involvement in ambitious international space missions.

Sustaining a competitive space ecosystem

CNES is supporting the rapid transformation of France’s space sector and sowing the seeds of a new space economy, working with companies of all sizes.

Working towards a sustainable world

Through CNES, France is a leading partner in flagship space missions vital to climate science and enjoys a lot of influence with its international partners. Our agency is supporting the ecological transition across the space sector.

CNES is a government agency overseen by the Ministry of the Economy and Finance, the Ministry for Armed Forces and the Ministry for Higher Education and Research.

In Paris, Toulouse and Kourou, CNES has more than 2,300 people working to project French excellence around the world and make France a partner of choice in the major science programmes shaping our future.

Source : Cnes

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