Europe’s ambition in space: unlocking potential and funding future challenges

Roya Ayazi leads the Brussels-based secretariat of the European network NEREUS, where she serves as Secretary General and represents regional user communities in discussions on space policy. Drawing on more than two decades of experience in European and governmental affairs, Ayazi is the network’s main interface at EU level and coordinates its strategic activities. She has followed major legislative procedures shaping Europe’s space landscape, particularly those affecting the downstream sector, and has helped position NEREUS as a recognised voice for regions engaging with space technologies. Trained as a German lawyer, Ayazi previously worked in public administration and civil society organisations represented in Brussels, gaining extensive expertise in EU policymaking and regional advocacy.

Andrew Brown is Deputy Director-General and Director of Research at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. He has over 30 years experience of performing and leading research, and of translating research outputs into operational service improvements. A key aspect of this is furthering the exploitation of Earth observations from space, facilitating delivering yet more societal and economic value through improvements in the accuracy of weather forecasts and climate monitoring (e.g. in the context of Copernicus services).

Since 2014, Mauro Facchini has been the head of Copernicus, the European Earth Observation programme. Mauro was actively involved in the development of Earth Observation capacities and subsequently appointed Head of the Space Research Unit, where he led the preparation of the space related part of Horizon 2020. Prior to this, Mauro participated in shaping the definition of the European Space Policy.

Giorgio Gori currently serves as Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), where he has been appointed as Shadow Rapporteur for the upcoming Space Act. He is also a substitute member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), and Standing Rapporteur for Tunisia.  Founder of Magnolia, a television-production company, Giorgio was the Mayor of Bergame from 2014 to 2024.

Emmanuel Pajot is the Secretary General of the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC), with over 20 years of experience in remote sensing and geology. He joined EARSC in 2017, focusing on supporting SMEs, developing new services and engaging with institutions. He holds a PhD in radar data application for geological features and has worked on SAR interferometry, Land Use/Land Cover mapping and temporal analysis. Previously, he worked as a consultant for the energy sector, assessing geological risks and monitoring assets. From 2011 to 2017, he led an Earth Observation team at SPIE Oil & Gas, driving business development and innovative monitoring solutions in Europe and the US. 

Pierre Potin is responsible for programmatic activities relevant to Copernicus. Reporting to the ESA Director for Earth Observation Programmes, he performs the lead role for the strategic and coordination activities related to Copernicus. He acts as formal interface to the European Commission for Copernicus. The Copernicus Space Office is the interface for ESA’s Copernicus activities within and outside ESA, it performs the coordination by the ESA implementing departments and ensures the oversight of the Copernicus Space Component. P. Potin has been involved in various GMES/Copernicus activities for more than 15 years at ESA, with functions including Programme Coordinator and Sentinel-1 Mission Manager.

Before elected to the European Union Parlament Pekka Toveri served 39 years in the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF). During his career he served in several high-level command positions. He served also over 10 years abroad as Defence Attaché and liaison officer in Sweden, Canada and USA and in two deployments in Bosnia and Afghanistan. Toveri retired from the position of Director of Defence Intelligence, commanding the military intelligence of the FDF. After retirement he was elected to Finnish Parliament where he was member of the Defence Committee. After a year in Finnish Parliament he was elected to the EU Parliament where is member of the Defence Committee and Chairman of the Ukraine Delegation.

Retiring from NATO in September 2018 after 38 years at the organisation, Jamie Shea has occupied a number of senior positions at NATO across a wide range of areas, including external relations, press and media, and policy planning. As NATO’s spokesperson, he was the face of the alliance during the Bosnia and Kosovo conflicts. He later worked as the director of policy planning in the private office of former secretary general Rasmussen during the preparation of NATO’s 2010 Strategic Concept. Shea is also a regular lecturer and conference speaker on NATO and European security affairs.

Prior to joining Friends of Europe, Dharmendra Kanani was director of policy at the European Foundation Centre (EFC). He was the England director at the Big Lottery Fund, the largest independent funder in the UK and fourth largest in the world. Dharmendra has held senior positions in the public and voluntary sectors and advisor to numerous ministerial policy initiatives across the UK.