ESA Appoints Laurent Jaffart as Director of New Resilience Navigation and Connectivity Directorate

The European Space Agency (ESA) Council has announced that Laurent Jaffart will be transitioning from his current role as Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications to take up a newly established position as Director of the Resilience, Navigation, and Connectivity Directorate. This change will officially take effect on February 1, 2026.

The creation of this new directorate underscores ESA’s dedication to enhancing resilience and improving navigation and connectivity, particularly in alignment with the security and defense objectives of its Member States and the European Union. Establishing a robust design authority within ESA is deemed vital for the success of the European Resilience from Space program, which aims to drive forward the timely development of crucial technologies related to security and defense. This approach ensures that systems effectively meet the needs of Member States, aligning with the overarching ESA framework that supports both peaceful space exploration and defense initiatives.

Laurent Jaffart has been serving as the Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications and Head of the European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) based in Harwell, UK, since May 15, 2024. His academic background includes an honors degree in European business and technology from the University of Brighton, attained in 2000, and dual Master’s degrees in Business Administration from the Reims Management School in France and Dublin City University. Additionally, he earned a Master’s degree in military national resource strategy and policy from the National Defense University in Washington, DC, in 2012.

Prior to his tenure at ESA, Jaffart held significant positions at Airbus Defence and Space, where he was Vice President and Head of Strategy, Corporate, and New Business Development in Space Systems. During his time there, he led a multinational team across France, Germany, and the UK, and participated in both the Space System Executive Board and the Airbus OneWeb Satellites Board. His professional journey also includes various key roles within the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), which later became part of Airbus Defence and Space.

The ESA remains committed to advancing space technologies and systems, focusing on the security and defense sectors while fulfilling the peaceful use principles outlined in relevant space treaties. For further inquiries, ESA’s Media Relations can be contacted directly.