Geraldine Naja

Geraldine has 30-year experience in the European space sector in managerial and strategy development positions.

Currently, as the Head of the Industrial Policy and Audit Department of European Space Agency, her missions are to elaborate and implement ESA’s industrial policy, set-up technical contracts aiming at developing industrial competitiveness, provide operational audit services, ensure continuous dialogue and partnership with European space industry, operators and the European Commission. She joined ESA in 1987 as a payload engineer on the International Space Station programme. She has then moved to various corporate and programmatic functions across the Agency, including responsible for prospective studies, Head of Long-term Space Policy Office, Head of Strategic and Institutional Matters at the ESA DG Cabinet, Head of EU Relations Office, and Senior Advisor to the Director of Launchers for institutional matters. She was also seconded for one year (2003-2004) to the French Ministry of research as strategic advisor to the Minister. Geraldine graduated from French Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées (ENSTA) specialising in propulsion and chemistry, as well as Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) specialising in international relations and European matters. She has taught fluid mechanics and continues to have teaching assignments about space policy in these universities and institutes.