CNES After Baptiste
France is ESA’s largest contributor, committing just over €1 billion in 2025, approximately €120 million more than Germany, the second-highest contributor at €950 million. With that level of investment, and as host to the agency’s headquarters, France wields considerable influence over ESA’s direction. That makes it all the more important to examine President Macron’s nominee to lead CNES, François Jacq, who is set to replace Philippe Baptiste as Chairman and CEO.
François Jacq is a French engineer and public administrator with extensive experience in science and technology management. A graduate of École Polytechnique and Mines ParisTech, he also holds a PhD in the history of science and is a member of the Corps des Mines. His previous roles include leading the French Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (ANDRA), Météo-France, and the national marine science institute Ifremer. Since 2018, he has been Chairman and CEO of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (…
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