Careers - Opportunities - Professionals

Morning session & Lunch break

08:30 - 13:45

Venue MIX, 25 Boulevard du Souverain, Watermael-Boitsfort

08:30 – 09:35

Welcome

08:30

Registration opens and remains available throughout the day

Every Switch to Space starts with arrival and registration. Our team will welcome you, share all the event info, and give you your name card. Then, go to see the booths, meet new people, start networking and then grab a great seat!

09:30 – 09:35

Introduction

For decades, space has been a matter of nations, rigid protocols, and clear trajectories.

Today, we are experiencing a revolution. Space is no longer just a destination; it is a laboratory, a rapidly changing economy, and the mirror of our future on Earth.

The space sector is not looking for executives who apply ready-made formulas, they are looking for visionaries, agile minds able to pivot when a technology fails, and to collaborate internationally.

There is an invisible skill that will determine your success: your Open Mind.

Welcome to Switch to Space 5

09:40 - 12:10

Morning session

Space jobs | Challenges of the industry

09:40 – 10:30

Evolution of space jobs over a horizon of 5 to 10 years

Chair: Olivier Chazot, VKI

Speakers:

Cathy Freitag, Antwerp Space
Michael Maréchal, Aerospacelab
Amélie Revers, Telespazio BeNeLux
Adrian Hogg, EUMETSAT
Rachid Atori, Spacebel
Lucy Van Der Tas, ESA

10:35 – 10:45

Break

10:45 – 12:10

What is the challenge for Belgian Industry in the race for Lunar Exploration

Chair: Mohammad Iranmanesh

Speakers:

Frank Monteny, Belspo
Koen Puimège, Antwerp Space NV
Federico Rossi, Telespazio BeNeLux
Arne Lahcen, ESA
Eric Lardinois, Spacebel
Pierre Desmaele, Thales Alenia Space Belgium

30 minutes of questions and answers with the students on the previous panel

12:15 – 13:50

Lunch time

Have Lunch, Discover & Connect

Speeches Premium and Gold Sponsors

Chair: Dominique Tilmans, President Switch to Space

Speakers and presentation:

Why the Moon, and Why Now? by Arnaud Stiepen, Nexus
A presentation by Anke Mayer, EUMETSAT
A presentation by Alexandre de Geradon, Telespazio BeNeLux
A presentation by Michael Maréchal, Aerospacelab

Booths Sponsors + Startups

Speed dating

Dazibao (Wall paper: CV, Jobs, Internships)

“Ask Me Anything" with experts

08:30 – 09:35

Welcome

08:30

Registration opens and remains available throughout the day

09:30 – 09:35

Introduction

For decades, space has been a matter of nations, rigid protocols, and clear trajectories.

Today, we are experiencing a revolution. Space is no longer just a destination; it is a laboratory, a rapidly changing economy, and the mirror of our future on Earth.

The space sector is not looking for executives who apply ready-made formulas, they are looking for visionaries, agile minds able to pivot when a technology fails, and to collaborate internationally.

There is an invisible skill that will determine your success: your Open Mind.

Welcome to Switch to Space 5

09:40 - 12:10

Morning session

Space jobs | Challenges of the industry

09:40 – 10:30

Evolution of space jobs over a horizon of 5 to 10 years

Chair: Olivier Chazot, VKI

Speakers:

Cathy Freitag, Antwerp Space
Michael Maréchal, Aerospacelab
Amélie Revers, Telespazio BeNeLux
Adrian Hogg, EUMETSAT
Rachid Atori, Spacebel
Lucy Van Der Tas, ESA

10:35 – 10:45

Break

10:45 – 12:10

What is the challenge for Belgian Industry in the race for Lunar Exploration

Chair: Mohammad Iranmanesh

Speakers:

Frank Monteny, Belspo
Koen Puimège, Antwerp Space NV
Federico Rossi, Telespazio BeNeLux
Arne Lahcen, ESA
Eric Lardinois, Spacebel
Pierre Desmaele, Thales Alenia Space Belgium

30 minutes of questions and answers with the students on the previous panel

12:15 – 13:50

Lunch time

Have Lunch, Discover & Connect

Speeches Premium and Gold Sponsors

Chair: Dominique Tilmans, President Switch to Space

Speakers and presentation:

Why the Moon, and Why Now? by Arnaud Stiepen, Nexus
A presentation by Anke Mayer, EUMETSAT
A presentation by Alexandre de Geradon, Telespazio BeNeLux
A presentation by Michael Maréchal, Aerospacelab

Booths Sponsors + Startups

Speed dating

Dazibao (Wall paper: CV, Jobs, Internships)

“Ask Me Anything" with experts

Speakers

Evolution of Jobs

Evolution of space jobs over a horizon of 5 to 10 years

Cathy Freitag

HR manager at Antwerp Space

Cathy Freitag is Head of HR at Antwerp Space and has over 15 years of experience in Human Resources across international and technology-driven environments. Throughout her career, she has worked across talent acquisition, organisational development, change management and HR strategy, partnering closely with leaders and employees. At Antwerp Space, she brings this people perspective into the space industry, with a particular interest in how organisations can attract, develop and retain the talent and skills needed for the future.

Don't worry about finding the perfect first job. Stay curious, keep learning and never stop aiming for the stars.

Evolution of space jobs over a horizon of 5 to 10 years

Almélie Revers

Space Engineering Support Services Business Unit director and Head of Institutional Relations and Communication – Telespazio BeNeLux

Joining Telespazio Belgium in 2012 as HR & Admin responsible, Amélie has a major breakthrough occurred in 2020 when she became the head of the Human Resources, Legal, and Communication Department, driving strategic development initiatives at a corporate level. To further augment her qualifications, she obtained certification in 2021 with an Executive Master in Management from the Solvay Business School in Brussels. This trajectory showcases a remarkable journey of professional growth, from law graduate to managing multiple departments and leading strategic endeavors. Through her accomplishments and commitment to continuous learning, she has established herself as a versatile and skilled professional in the fields of law, human resources, and management. In 2026, she took over the Space Engineering Support Services Business Unit direction in parallel of the Institutional relations and communication department.

Don't be afraid if your career path doesn't look like a straight line. The most exciting opportunities are often the ones you couldn't have planned.

When I attended the first edition of Switch to Space in 2018, I could not have imagined all the different ways I would be involved over the years.

Volunteer. Speaker. Recruiter. Mentor. And today, Business Unit Director.

Every edition has taught me something new, introduced me to inspiring people, and reminded me that careers are built through curiosity, continuous learning and the courage to embrace change.

The space sector is evolving rapidly, creating opportunities that didn't exist a few years ago and will continue to create jobs we cannot even imagine today.

My advice to students and young professionals: focus less on finding the perfect job title and more on developing your ability to learn, adapt and collaborate.

Your career destination may change several times. Your willingness to grow will always remain your greatest asset.

Evolution of space jobs over a horizon of 5 to 10 years

Adrian Hogg

Recruitment Manager at EUMETSAT

Adrian Hogg holds a BA in Human Resource Management, an MSc in Information Technology and a Masters in Business Administration. He has 25 years of recruitment leadership experience within highly technical industry sectors across several regions.

He has led the EUMETSAT recruitment function since 2019 with responsibility for all science, engineering and business support roles, including those that fall within the Early Career Employment Programme.

This is his 3rd year attending the Switch to Space event and he is very keen to speak to speak to individuals with an interest in working within the space based, Earth observation sector.

Evolution of space jobs over a horizon of 5 to 10 years

Michael Maréchal

Head of Manufacturing Operations, Aerospacelab

Michael is a mechatronics engineer who graduated from the Université catholique de Louvain (Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium). He is currently Head of Manufacturing Operations at Aerospacelab, where he combines his technical expertise and leadership skills to drive innovative projects in the aerospace sector.

Aerospacelab: Shaping Europe's space industry of tomorrow

Evolution of space jobs over a horizon of 5 to 10 years

Rachid Atori

Chief Operating Officer, Spacebel

Rachid Atori is Chief Operating Officer of Spacebel, a Belgian space company founded in 1988. Spacebel's work covers on-board software, ground segments, modelling and simulation, data management, and Earth observation applications.

Rachid joined Spacebel in 1994, straight after graduating, as a software engineer on space applications. He then moved up through the company as a project manager and later Head of the Modelling & Simulation department, and has been COO for about six years. Having spent his whole career at Spacebel, he knows both its technical work and its operations well.

He holds a degree in civil engineering (ingénieur civil) from the École polytechnique de Bruxelles and a Master's in Aerospace Electronics from SUPAERO in Toulouse.

Be curious. Try, experiment, and put your ideas on the table, even the crazy ones. The effort is part of the journey: no pain, no gain.

Evolution of space jobs over a horizon of 5 to 10 years

Lucy Van Der Tas

Head of Talent Acquisition at ESA

Lucy van der Tas has worked in the Human Resources Department of the European Space Agency for over 40 years and she is based at ESA’s technical centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands. During her career, she has held various roles covering recruitment, training, development and career management. Until July 2026, she headed ESA’s Talent Acquisition Team, helping develop effective approaches to identify and secure the skills and competencies ESA needs to succeed.

As she gradually transitions towards retirement, Lucy’s current role of Senior Talent Acquisition Advisor draws on her extensive experience to provide strategic guidance and support.

The European Space Agency (ESA)’s mission is to lead and orchestrate European space excellence to build a more prosperous, resilient, independent and inspiring life for all of Europe.

Speakers

What is the challenge for
the Belgian industry

What is the challenge for the Belgian Industry & Research?

Frank Monteny

Director-General Research and Space of the Federal Science Policy Office, BELSPO

Frank Monteny is responsible for the different operational activities of the Department, including the preparation and execution of the Federal Research Programmes, Belgium's participation in international Space Programmes, the coordination of the Federal and/or Belgian position on (inter)national matters relating to science policy and the monitoring of the national science and innovation system. Frank is since 2018 Head of the Belgian Delegation to the European Space Agency (ESA) and was vice Chair of ESA (2023 – 2026).

Space exploration is above all a collective effort. Belgium has a strong expertise in the space sector and international cooperation remains key to our success. The next generation has an important role to play in the future of European space exploration.

What is the challenge for the Belgian Industry & Research?

Koen Puimège

CEO - Antwerp Space

He has been active in the space industry for more than 24 years in various leadership roles and has a background in electronics and business administration. In his current position, his ambition is threefold: to strengthen cooperation between space companies and universities in Belgium, to represent them to national and international governments and to make them known to the general public. At European and international level, Koen builds bridges between the Belgian space sector and foreign agencies, companies and institutions.
He has a creative, result-oriented and entrepreneurial mentality.

Your talent can take you beyond boundaries. Join the space industry and help shape tomorrow's technologies to address today's societal challenges and build a better future.
Make your ambition take off. Your future in space starts here!

What is the challenge for the Belgian Industry & Research?

Federico Rossi

President & CEO – Telespazio BeNeLux

Physicist and international business leader with over 40 years of experience in the space and satellite services industry. CEO of Telespazio Belgium, driving business growth, operational excellence, and the delivery of complex international programs across Europe. Proven leader in building high-performing multicultural teams, developing strategic partnerships, and managing relationships with ESA, EUSPA, governmental agencies, and key industrial stakeholders. Strong track record in business transformation, P&L management, contract negotiations, and sustainable value creation. Passionate about innovation, leadership, and developing the next generation of talent, fostering professional growth and empowering young professionals to become future leaders. Committed to leveraging technology and people excellence to support critical missions and long-term organizational success. An indefatigable traveler by both profession and passion, I thrive in international environments and value the opportunities that diverse cultures and global perspectives bring to business and personal growth.

What is the challenge for the Belgian Industry & Research?

Eric Lardinois

CEO and Managing Director, SPACEBEL

Eric Lardinois is the CEO and Managing Director of SPACEBEL, a long-established European leader in space systems and software engineering serving space and defence ecosystems and Earth observation applications.

Eric gathers 29 years of professional experience and inspirational leadership in various technological fields - aerospace, defence, security and telecommunications. He has a proven track record of expertise in general management, sales & marketing, operations, project management, negotiations, business development & strategy as well as corporate finance, which gives him the ability to see the bigger picture of an organisation.

He held various management and key positions in international organisations such as Ericsson, EADS, Cassidian, Airbus Group and since 2024 SPACEBEL.

Believe in your dreams and talents. Above all: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.” (Les Brown)

What is the challenge for the Belgian Industry & Research?

Arne Lahcen

Strategic Foresight and Planning Officer at the European Space Agency (ESA) headquarters in Paris

Arne Lahcen is Strategic Foresight and Planning Officer at the European Space Agency (ESA) headquarters in Paris, working on long-term ESA strategy and the preparation of Ministerial Council meetings. He previously worked in the Cabinet of the ESA Director General and in the Earth Observation Programme. Before joining ESA, he was a Resident Fellow at the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) in Vienna, Austria. He holds an Advanced Master of Space Studies from KU Leuven and degrees in Social-Economic Sciences from the University of Antwerp.

“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday's logic.” - Peter Drucker

What is the challenge for the Belgian Industry & Research?

Pierre Desmaele

CEO, Thales Alenia Space Belgium

With an electronics engineering foundation, he began his professional career within the aviation sector before transitioning into the automation and electrification industry.

He continued in this field until early 2024, at which point he assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer at Thales Alenia Space Belgium. A switch into a fast-paced, cutting-edge sector.

The Moon is located 384,000 kilometers from Earth, but the journey begins much closer to home. At Thales Alenia Space in Belgium, our 470 employees develop cutting-edge technologies that already equip over 200 satellites in orbit and contribute to ambitious lunar exploration programs such as Artemis, Argonaut, and Moonlight.

What makes the space sector so exciting is the ability to push boundaries, turn bold ideas into reality, and collaborate with passionate people from diverse backgrounds to achieve “the” extraordinary.

To the new generations: the space sector is full of opportunities, and there is no need to go far to take part in this remarkable adventure. The future of space is also being built here, in Belgium. And you can help shape it!

Speakers

Lunch time

Why the Moon, and why Now?

Arnaud Stiepen

CEO at Nexus

Arnaud Stiepen is an astrophysicist and science communicator. A PhD graduate of the University of Liège, he has over 3,000 scientific citations to his name and has collaborated with ESA, JAXA and NASA; the last of which has awarded him three medals. The founder of Nexus, he produces and hosts the TV shows Episteme, Epikids and PLATO, as well as the PULSE podcast, driven by a single obsession: making science clear, useful and exciting for everyone.

Returning to the Moon isn't a replay of 1969. It's the opening of the next great frontier (scientific, industrial, human) and it's your generation that will write it. Come and see why the Moon has become the most strategic destination of our time, and the place you can claim in it!

A presentation about EUMETSAT

Anke Mayer

HR Business Partner, EUMETSAT

Anke Mayer holds a BA in International Business Management and an MSc in International Business. She has 20 years of HR experience across several technical industry sectors and has worked in various European countries. For the past 11 years, she has been working in the European space sector. She joined EUMETSAT in 2020 as an HR Business Partner, supporting the Technical and Scientific Support Department, which offers many of the positions within the Early Career Employment Programme (ECEP). This is her second time attending the Switch to Space event, and she is looking forward to meeting and speaking with individuals who are interested in starting or developing their careers in the space sector.

A presentation about Telespazio BeNeLux

Alexandre de Geradon

Corporate Communication & CSR Manager, Telespazio BeNeLux

Alexandre de Geradon graduated with a Master in Press and Information from IHECS (Bruxelles) and UCL in 2017. He started his career as Communication officer at the Bastogne Tourism office and later for Redu and Saint-Hubert tourism offices before joining Telespazio BeNeLux in September 2021. He discovered Space through a fast-growing company, nurturing his appetite for Science and Space. Event management, Public Relations, and Scientific writing are now part of his everyday life at work. A perfect position to continue perfecting his skills and knowledges while daydreaming about Space, every day.

Chairs

Evolution of space jobs over a horizon of 5 to 10 years

Olivier Chazot

Prof. Olivier Chazot is professor and Head of the Aeronautic and Aerospace department at the Von Karman Institute. He carries out research in high enthalpy facilities and plasma wind tunnels to study laminar to turbulent transition and Gas-Surface interactions in re-entry flows. He participated in multiple ESA missions for the development of flight-testing experiments like the EXPERT probe, IXV program and QARMAN re-entry CubeSat.
He is also a "scientist in residence" at Zurich University of Arts for transdisciplinary collaboration between art, science and philosophy in experimental research.

What is the challenge for Belgian Industry in the race for Lunar Exploration

Mohammad Iranmanesh

Mohammad Iranmanesh is the Managing Director (Belgium) of constellr, a pan-european company pioneering the use of cutting-edge beyond-visual imaging technology to transform how we monitor crucial aspects of Earth's health from space (https://www.constellr.com). With a background in Space Systems Engineering and project management, Mohammad brings extensive expertise in overseeing the technical development of space hardware and software
Prior to his role at constellr, he pursued a dual master's degree at UCLouvain and ISAE-Supaero, complemented by a certificate in Management of Innovation from HEC Paris. During this time, he co-founded lide.space (https://lide.space), a Belgian startup dedicated to facilitating microgravity research through glider parabolic flights.
Mohammad is also actively engaged in the global space community, serving as the National Point of Contact in Belgium for the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC).

Speeches Premium and Gold Sponsors

Dominique Tilmans, President Switch to Space

Dominique Tilmans has been heavily involved in the space sector during her long political career, notably through the presidency of the "Senate Space Group" and the presidency of the "European Interparliamentary Space Conference (EISC)". She launched YouSpace/ Switch to Space in 2014 in order to link STEM Students to Belgian Space experts. She is currently Board Member of Telespazio BeNeLux .

Continuing by parallel sessions...
(14:00 – 17:15)

First room

Theme:

"Living on the Moon - Technical challenges"

Go to first room

Second room

Theme:

"Living on the Moon - Legal and Societal challenges"

Go to second room

17:30 – 19:30

Cocktail and networking

Connect. Exchange. Grow.

A cocktail where conversations turn into opportunities.

Join us for an evening of networking and cocktails - a relaxed opportunity to meet like-minded people, exchange ideas, and make meaningful connections. You might meet a future employer, discover your next collaboration partner, or simply gain fresh perspectives and valuable insights. Come connect, share, and expand your network in ways that could give your career its next boost.