Dreamers & Makers

What inspired you to pursue a career in space?
I studied telecommunications engineering and was lucky enough to do my final project at the European Space Agency’s technology centre in the Netherlands. Probably what made me fall in love with this sector was sharing the excitement of the satellite launches. 25 years later, I still get excited at every launch I see.

How did you join Sener?

I can’t tell if I joined Sener or if Sener joined me, but it feels like we were destined to meet thanks to the TRYO Aerospace acquisition! My first ten professional years were spent between the Netherlands and France, and in 2007 I joined what was then called Mier Comunicaciones, based in La Garriga, a beautiful village about 30 kilometres from Barcelona. In 2014, the space part of Mier was integrated into the space part of RYMSA, giving rise to TRYO Aerospace, and in 2018 we became part of the big family that is Sener.

What business area do you belong to and what do you do? What is your day-to-day life like?

I currently work in Sener’s aerospace business area. After twenty years in the commercial area, I have specialised in maximising Sener’s participation in the major European space programmes. To do this, I need information and contact with all the institutions and companies that have decision-making power in the awarding of contracts. My daily work consists of talking to the European Commission (EC), ESA, satellite operators, and the main European satellite manufacturers. Although my work is very much ‘outside’, I spend a lot of time ‘inside’: understanding our capabilities, our products, defining strategies, etc.

What has been your progression since you joined Sener and what are the most important projects you are currently working on?

Two decades on the commercial side have led me to coordinate Sener’s participation in major European projects such as the second generation of Galileo, and I am currently working on the European Union’s third major space programme, IRIS2.

IRIS2 aims to secure sensitive satellite communications in Europe. It will be a dual programme, i.e. civil and military. At the moment, I am also in charge of coordinating defence space opportunities, or defence of space, depending on where you look at it. Space has become the fourth domain for military forces (after land, sea, and air). It is an exciting time.

How do you think the projects you work on influence the world or society today and in the future?

Space projects influence the day-to-day life of all of us: from weather satellites like Meteosat, to satellite navigation satellites like Galileo, to future secure communications satellites like IRIS2. Space is part of our daily lives, even if we are not aware of it.

I am currently working on the European Union’s third major space programme, IRIS2.

How do you keep up to date with general knowledge and trends in your sector?

I have an important network of contacts with whom I keep myself informed, as I also make use of LinkedIn, which I consider a key tool for keeping up to date.

In your opinion, what distinguishes Sener from its competitors?

Sener focuses on excellence and being useful to society. How many companies do you know that are excellent in fields as diverse as space, mobility, energy, or data centres? We are very good at many things, and not everyone can say that. And, obviously, the best thing about Sener is its people.

What new challenges do you see yourself working on in the medium term?

In the medium term, I see myself opening a new product line in aerospace at Sener, making a significant contribution to IRIS2, and starting to find a way to be responsive to the needs facing our new Space Command.