Rear Admiral Louis Tillier is serving as the Director of the European Union Satellite Centre (SatCen) since June 1st 2024. His appointment was made by the SatCen Board, represented by the 27 EU Member States, and subsequently confirmed by Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission. Prior to his current role, Rear Admiral Tillier held the position of SatCen’s Deputy Director since September 2021. His distinguished naval career commenced in 1995 at the Naval Academy. Over the years, he served on various vessels and was entrusted with significant responsibilities. Beyond his operational assignments, Rear Admiral Tillier pursued advanced engineering training in Communication and Information Systems (CIS) at the École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications, graduating as a telecommunications engineer in 2004. He was appointed as Joint Staff Program Officer and head of office for the Defense’s Satellite Communications Systems at the Joint Space Command. In this role, he actively contributed to the European Defence Agency (EDA) and NATO SatCom working groups, enhancing his expertise in space-related issues within the European Union and NATO. In 2015, Rear Admiral Tillier assumed command of the French Ship AGI Dupuy de Lôme and then the Maritime Intelligence Center in Brest. By the summer of 2019, he transitioned to the French Space Command, overseeing European and international cooperation related to space. During this assignment and prior to joining SatCen, he led efforts on European Space issues, focusing on security and defense, collaborating closely with various European stakeholders and allies.