Jean-Yves Le Gall is President of the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), the French space agency, since 2013. In this capacity, he is Interministerial Coordinator for satellite navigation programmes and Chair of the Administrative Board of GSA, the European GNSS Agency. He is also Chair of the Council of the European Space Agency (ESA) and President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).

CNES is responsible for proposing and implementing space policy in France. It is involved in all aspects of space (Ariane, Sciences, Observation, Telecommunications, Defence) through its four centres of excellence in Paris, Toulouse and French Guiana, with 2,450 employees and a budget of more than €2.3m (2017). CNES also represents France on the ESA Council and at many other international organizations, and is a partner in various commercial enterprises.

Born in 1959, Jean-Yves Le Gall is a qualified engineer and scientist who has devoted his entire career to the European space programme, holding positions within the French national scientific research agency CNRS, several French ministries, at Novespace and a first stint with CNES before joining Starsem and Arianespace for 12 years, where he was CEO then Chairman & CEO.

Jean-Yves Le Gall is a member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and Vice- President of the "Space Circle" at French think-tank CEPS (Centre d’Etude et de Prospective Stratégique). He also chairs the France-Japan business council of Medef International, and is a member of the French-Mexican Strategic Council.

He received the Astronautics Prize from the French Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AAAF) in 2001. He was named Via Satellite magazine’s 2005 Satellite Executive of the Year and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 from the Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council (APSCC). In 2011 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Society of Satellite Professionals International (SPPI) and received the Icarus Prize from the French association of professional aerospace journalists (AJPAE). In 2014 he received a Laureate Award from Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine.

Jean-Yves Le Gall holds the rank of Commander of the National Order of Merit and Officer in the Legion of Honour in France. He has also been awarded the Order of Friendship by the Russian Federation and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, by the government of Japan.