Making Space Matter Summit: geopolitics, big data, innovation, governance and cooperation

Frank Monteny is currently responsible for the different operational activities of BELSPO, including the preparation and execution of federal research programmes, Belgium’s participation in international space programmes, the department’s contribution to national coordination of science policy activities and the monitoring of national science, technology and innovation (STI) efforts. He is a member of the management board of several federal scientific institutions and notably serves as the head of the Belgian delegation to the European Space Agency (ESA). Previously, Monteny has worked as a researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, as project manager at ERM (now ECOREM), an SME specialised in environmental studies and advice and at the Flemish innovation agency (IWT) as coordinator of European projects.

A lawyer and space enthusiast, Roya Ayazi has held positions in European and governmental affairs focused on advocating innovative technologies and science, with expertise in political interest representation for associations of civil society and public sector. As the Secretary General of the European network NEREUS, Ayazi heads its Brussels-based secretariat, acting as the main interface of the association at the European level and coordinating network activities. She has followed the major space legislative procedures with impact for the downstream sector and established the network as a reference for regional user-communities. Coordinating interregional co-operations and joint initiatives with the European Commission and the European Space Agency, such as Copernicus4Regions, Ayazi gained a broad overview on the deployment situation at the local and regional levels but also practical insight into the needs and concerns of regional users.

Rodrigo da Costa serves as the Executive Director of EUSPA, formerly the European GNSS Agency (GSA). Prior to assuming his current position at EUSPA, he was the Galileo Services programme manager. In the space industry, he has also held several positions in senior project management, business development and institutional key account management, specifically in the areas of human space flight, exploration, launchers, and research and development (R&D).

Prior to joining Friends of Europe, Dharmendra Kanani was director of policy at the European Foundation Centre (EFC). He was the England director at the Big Lottery Fund, the largest independent funder in the UK and fourth largest in the world. Dharmendra has held senior positions in the public and voluntary sectors and advisor to numerous ministerial policy initiatives across the UK.

*Consultant at Friends of Europe.

At ESA, Apostolia Karamali’s key priorities include strengthening ESA–EU relations, boosting space commercialisation for a green and digital Europe, strengthening space for safety and security, addressing programme challenges and completing ESA transformation. She previously held a long career at the European Commission, working on space, research and innovation policies and programmes, notably the Copernicus and EU research framework programmes. Notably, she was the head of unit at the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) responsible for policy in support of research and innovation actors, as well as deputy head of unit for space policy and research, focusing on actions in support of the space economy.

Frederic Nordlund has worked closely with numerous space agencies and was involved in key negotiations of major partnerships on behalf of ESA, particularly for human space flight and exploration missions such as the International Space Station, Gateway, ExoMars and Mars Sample Return. He has also forged international partnerships for key space science, and Earth science and observation missions and facilitated the coordination of ESA member states’ positions in the context of the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its two subcommittees.  Notably, Nordlund has received the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal and the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Excellence in International Cooperation Award.

Giuseppe Ottavianelli pioneers new Earth observation applications for societal benefit, addressing environmental and sustainable development policies at the international and European levels through the involvement of stakeholders and end-users in the co-design, development and validation phases. He also manages the ESA EO AFRICA (African Framework for Research, Innovation, Communities and Applications) initiative. Prior to assuming his current role at ESA, Ottavianelli worked on data processing, and calibration and validation aspects within the agency’s Data Quality Management Section. He has also facilitated the utilisation of New Space assets in the framework of the ESA’s research and development (R&D) projects and the Copernicus Services as a third-party mission manager.

Sékou Ouedraogo is the Founding President of the African Aeronautics & Space Organisation (AASO), which aims to promote cooperation and investments on space on the African continent to contribute to its sustainable development. An electrical engineer and international policy expert by training, he has worked on several aeronautical programmes in international industrial groups. He has also published a book on the African Space Agency and is an editorialist on space and aeronautics for several media outlets, including BBC, France 24, RFI and Deutsche Welle.

As a Research Fellow at ESPI, Clémence Poirier conducts interdisciplinary research on space security issues, space cyber–security, the use of space for humanitarian operations and the use of space-based data in European climate policies.  She has also conducted policy and legal research on the cyber–security of the Australian space infrastructure for Flinders University. Poirier is an active member of the Space Generation Advisory Council’s Space and Cybersecurity Project Group, as well as the Space Generation Advocacy and Policy Platform’s Co-Lead on Responsible Space Behaviour.

In her current role, Holy Ranaivozanany is responsible for leading the Africa-Europe Foundation’s impact targets related to policy advocacy, stakeholder engagement and outreach. She has previously held several positions at Huawei Technologies, including as head of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability communications. Under her leadership, she launched Huawei’s global flagship programme on education and skills, Seeds for the Future. Together with Elevate, she contributed to the first ever white paper on technology and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in ASEAN and China. Ranaivozanany has co-led the communication and engagement efforts on climate change, biodiversity and circular economy, and has served as a member of the World Economic Forum working group on circular economy, the OECD Emerging Markets Network, Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI), the UN Global Compact and the B20 Italy taskforce on sustainability and global emergencies. She has also served as a CSR project manager and marketing analyst at Orange.

Ruvimbo Samanga specialises in space law and policy research for the African and global space sector, with experience in policies pertaining to GIS & Remote Sensing, National Space Initiatives and Lunar Development. Samanga has been recognised as an African Space Leader, an Emerging Space Leader and a Young Space Leader for her contributions in policy, business, education and outreach, and looks to collaborate on space-related, capacity-building research for the African and the global space sector.

In addition to her role at Airbus Defence and Space Germany, Rania Toukebri currently conducts research on the next generation of on-board computers (OBC) for lunar missions at the University of Lübeck. Her role as Regional Coordinator for Africa at the Space Generation Advisory Council supports the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). She is also a mentor with the Space4Women mentoring programme, initiated by UNOOSA.

Wietse is an award-winning Dutch social entrepreneur and conservationist, pioneering regenerative blue economy ventures. Wietse has received wide recognition for his innovative approach to mobilising businesses, governments and citizens to form uncommon partnerships for the social, economic and ecological regeneration of European coastal and ocean areas. His current venture, the Sea Ranger Service, trains unemployed young people from port cities with the help of navy veterans to manage Marine Protected Areas in European seas. A new type of professional sailing vessel has been developed for the Sea Rangers, with cost-effective sea operation and zero emissions.

In addition to her role at the ICRC Delegration to the EU, NATO and Belgium, Pauline Warnotte lectures at the Law Faculty of the University of Namur. Her work covers international humanitarian law, including questions arising from military operations in or in relation to outer space during armed conflict and the impact of such operations on the protection of civilians. She has previous experience working as an advisor at the Belgian Ministry of Defence and a researcher for the Security and Technology Programme of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research.