Christophe Venet

Born 27 April 1982, Christophe Venet is a graduate of the political studies institute (IEP) of Strasbourg and holds a Master’s degree in Peace Studies and International Politics from the University of Tübingen (Germany).

He began his career as a researcher with think tanks, at the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) in 2009 and then the Space programme at IFRI, the French international relations institute, in 2010. In this role, he published more than 30 articles and co-edited two books on space policy.

In 2012, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was in charge of space within the Business and International Economics Directorate. Here, he helped to execute economic diplomacy for the space sector and sat on the Council of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the board of Eutelsat IGO.

Christophe Venet joined CNES in 2015 as space advisor in France’s Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels. He sat on the Space and GNSS working parties of the Council of the EU and was involved with the EU’s legislative work in the field of space.

In 2018, he was appointed head of the agency’s European and International Affairs sub-directorate and subsequently Deputy Director of Planning, International affairs and Quality.

Christophe Venet took up his post as Director of European and International affairs effective 1 January 2021.