Diploma in engineering from Ecole Centrale, 1968; from 53 European candidates for the 1977 ESA Spacelab-1 selection one of five French candidates, but not selected; until 1986 engineer at ONERA (Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales); since February 15, 2001 Director of Launchers at the ESA; since July 2003 Director General of the ESA.