ESA Council appoints two new directors

ESA Member States approved the Director General’s proposal at the 347th ESA Council at delegate level taking place on 16-17 June 2026, at ESA Headquarters in Paris, France.  

“I am very pleased to welcome Christine and Jean‑Luc to their new roles. Both bring strong experience and a deep understanding of ESA. I look forward to working with them as we continue to support our teams and Member States and deliver for Europe together,” said ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher.

Director of Controlling, Finance and Operational Procurement

Christine Klein will take up her new role as Director of Controlling, Finance and Operational Procurement (CFO) at ESA Headquarters in Paris on 1 July 2026. 

Christine has been serving as Acting Director of Controlling, Finance and Operational Procurement since 1 April 2026.

“I look forward to working with teams across the agency to ensure strong and sustainable financial management. In the months ahead, I will focus on enhancing governance and procurement efficiency, while also working to establish a unified CFO team,” she said.

Since joining ESA in 2020 as Head of the Workforce Management Office, she has worked across a range of senior roles, building strong expertise in governance, industrial policy and organisational oversight.

Before joining ESA, Christine worked at the German Space Agency at DLR, including as Head of the German Delegation to the ESA Industrial Policy Committee and Budget and Planning Team Leader, and also acting as Chairperson of the ESA Administrative and Finance Committee. She began her career working on ISS commercialisation projects.

The Director of Controlling, Finance and Operational Procurement is a new position which follows a broader reorganisation of the agency.

Director of Strategy, Legal and External Affairs

Jean-Luc Trullemans will take up his role as Director of Strategy, Legal and External Affairs at ESA Headquarters in Paris on 1 January 2027. Jean-Luc currently serves as Head of the European Space Security and Education Centre (ESEC) in Belgium, within ESA’s Directorate of Strategy, Legal and External Affairs.

“I take up this role at an important moment for ESA and Europe’s space sector. Our focus will be on implementing Ministerial priorities to strengthen Europe’s autonomy, resilience and competitiveness in space, while ensuring ESA remains a reliable and effective global partner,” he said.

Since joining ESA in 2020 as Security Advisor in the Director General’s Services, he has contributed to strengthening the agency’s approach to security, resilience and coordination.

Jean-Luc brings more than 30 years of experience in governance, security policy and international cooperation. Prior to ESA, he held senior positions within the Belgian Federal Police and worked as advisor at ministerial level within the Belgian Federal Government. 

Jean-Luc Trullemans will replace Eric Morel de Westgaver, who is retiring from his position as Director of Strategy, Legal and External Matters.