IAF Global Space Leaders Summit

Day: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Time: 10:30 – 12:30
Location: International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), Level 5, Grand Ballroom #
Status: Closed Event (upon invitation only)

Bringing together the foremost leaders of the global space community, the IAF Global Leaders Summit stands as a premier and exclusive platform for strategic dialogue among the heads of the world’s space agencies and national space offices. This distinguished forum convenes the key decision-makers who are collectively shaping the future of space policy, exploration, and cooperation on a global scale.

The second edition of the IAF Global Space Leaders Summit, jointly organized by the International Astronautical Federation, and our esteemed IAF Member since 2011 and IAC 2025 Co-Host – the Australian Space Agency, will take place on 30 September 2025 in Sydney, Australia, in conjunction with the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2025) under the visionary theme “Global Space Governance: Shaping the Future Together.”

Following the landmark 2024 Inaugural Session of the IAF Global Space Leaders Summit, where each of the 60 participating Heads of Agencies delivered official statements to their global counterparts, the 2025 edition will adopt a highly interactive format.

Participants will engage during four exclusive closed-door, moderated roundtables focusing each on the timely topics of Space Exploration, Earth Observation, Security, and Space Diplomacy, offering an unparalleled opportunity for shared vision, candid dialogue, and strategic alignment.

In tribute to the exceptional leadership of its participants, the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) proudly presents the unique IAF Global Space Leader’s Pin – a uniquely crafted emblem featuring a moonstone with a unique serial number. This pin stands as a rare symbol of excellence in space leadership and as lasting token of the leader's esteemed contribution to advancing the global space agenda.

Recognizing the vital need for continued collaboration at the highest level, and building on the momentum of last year’s success of the inaugural session, the second edition of the IAF Global Space Leaders Summit reaffirms the Federation’s commitment to empowering those at the helm of space governance.

Master of Ceremony

Christian FEICHTINGER

Executive Director, IAF Secretariat

France

Welcome Remarks

Clay MOWRY

President, International Astronautical Federation (IAF)

United States

Gabriella ARRIGO

Director, International Affairs Directorate, Italian Space Agency (ASI)

Italy

Enrico PALERMO

Head, Australian Space Agency

Australia

MODERATORS:

Round Table on SPACE EXPLORATION:

Round Table on EARTH OBSERVATION:

Lisa CAMPBELL

President, Canadian Space Agency (CSA)

Canada

Round Table on SECURITY:

Josef ASCHBACHER

Director General, European Space Agency (ESA)

France

Round Table on SPACE DIPLOMACY:

Hiroshi YAMAKAWA

President, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Japan

ESTEEMED HEADS OF SPACE AGENCIES AND OFFICES:

Yeshurun Alemayehu ADDE

Ethiopian Ministry of Innovation and Technology, Deputy Minister

Ethiopia

Matthew O. ADEPOJU

Director General / Chief Executive, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA)

Nigeria

Ahmad Belhoul AL FALASI

Minister of Sports and Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE

United Arab Emirates

Ibrahim AL QASIM

Deputy Director General, UAE Space Agency

United Arab Emirates

H.E Salem Butti Salem AL QUBAİSİ

Director General, UAE Space Agency

United Arab Emirates

Mohamed AL-ASEERI

Chief Executive Officer, Bahrain Space Agency

Bahrain

Pakorn APAPHANT

Executive Director, Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA)

Thailand

Dunay BADIRKHANOV

Chair of the Board (a/g), Azercosmos Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan

Paul BATE

Chief Executive Officer, UK Space Agency

United Kingdom

Michal BRICHTA

Director, Slovak Space Office - Industry Branch

Slovakia

Juan Carlos CORTÉS PULIDO

Director, Centre for the development of Industrial Technology (CDTI)

Spain

Athena COUSTENIS

Member of Governing Board, Hellenic Space Center

Greece

Sean DUFFY

Acting Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

United States

Orsolya FERENCZ

Ministerial Commissioner, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary

Hungary

Christian HAUGLIE-HANSSEN

Director General, Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA)

Norway

Robyn HENDERSON

Head, New Zealand Space Agency

New Zealand

Francois JACQ

Chairman and CEO, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES)

France

Shukhrat KADIROV

Director General, Uzbekspace agency (The Space Research and Technology Agency under the Ministry of digital technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

Uzbekistan

Mohammed KAMECHE

Director of the Centre of Satellite Development,, Agence Spatiale Algérienne (ASAL)

Algeria

Yusuf KIRAÇ

Chairman of The Board and President, Turkish Space Agency (TUA)

Türkiye

Renato KRPOUN

Head, Swiss Space Office (SSO)

Switzerland

Rodrigo LEONARDI

Deputy President, Brazilian Space Agency (AEB)

Brazil

Madin MASEEH

Founder & President, Maldives Space Research Organization

Maldives

Roberto MELGAR SHEEN

Head, Peruvian Space Agency (CONIDA)

Peru

Humbulani MUDAU

CEO, South African National Space Agency (SANSA)

South Africa

Tuan Haji Azlikamil NAPIAH

Director General, Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA)

Malaysia

V. NARAYANAN

Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

India

Walther PELZER

Director General, German Space Agency, Member of the Executive Board, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)

Germany

Marc SERRES

CEO, Luxembourg Space Agency

Luxembourg

Teodoro VALENTE

President, Italian Space Agency (ASI)

Italy

Harm VAN DE WETERING

Director, Netherlands Space Office (NSO)

Netherlands

Madis VOORAS

Head, Estonian Space Office

Estonia

Youngbin YOON

Administrator, Korea AeroSpace Administration

Republic of Korea

Bian ZHIGANG

Vice Administrator, China National Space Administration (CNSA)

China