A day with ESA’s Director General
During this year’s International Astronautical Congress, YGT Zaina Rahman had the opportunity to shadow DG Josef Aschbacher for the day. Hear first-hand from Zaina about her time with the DG, and how unique mentoring opportunities like this one can shape the next generation of leaders for Europe’s Space Industry.
Zaina Rahman is a YGT working on Future Hybrid Telecommunications. The following is Zaina’s account of her experience during the IAC event in Paris shadowing DG Josef Aschbacher.
I am incredibly grateful for having had the opportunity to shadow the DG at the International Astronautical Congress 2022 and for having gained a deeper understanding of our organisation. It's a day I will never forget!
This first-hand experience illustrated what it is like to lead as a key player in the space industry during such an uncertain and complex time. The DG's work highlighted the impact of our work on society and the challenges but fantastic opportunities that lie ahead from the leadership team's perspective.
A YGT perspective on being DG
I’ve learned that being the DG is more than shaking hands and giving inspiring speeches. It is about leading from the front, playing an active and visible role in the everyday running of our organisation. You must have a laser focus on people management and strategic direction and be well versed in the fine art of politics. With this immense pressure on his shoulders, I noticed he somehow stayed cool, calm, and collected throughout the day with the bonus of a big warm smile. And during the very long days, the DG keeps his energy levels high.
The DG’s ability to move between the big-picture and the fine-details was very impressive. As a maths and physics graduate, I appreciate the challenge of going from detail to then grasping abstract concepts and reframing them into ideas. He tackled conversations from all perspectives: including financial, business, technical, political, and strategic. When the DG was faced with direct tricky questions, he answered them while highlighting the importance of space for humanity.
Shadowing the DG allowed me to develop an understanding of the multi-layered impact of decisions. I noticed that being proactive and future-thinking about our industry and our organisation is one of the critical components of the DG’s role.
The DG shared the story of his early career with me. His advice was that it is critical to articulate your personal vision clearly, passionately, and consistently. Make it known how your contribution supports your organisation’s aims. And most importantly – to enjoy the work you do and appreciate the support you receive from those around you.
Equality, diversity and inclusivity
While I shadowed the DG it was Diversity Day at the IAC and I welcomed the DG's genuine commitment and enthusiasm for having a diverse workforce across age, race, and gender. During our conversations he said, "Diversity is a priority for ESA, an important objective highlighted in Agenda 2025; with a diverse workforce, you can tackle and analyse problems from different angles and come up with innovative solutions."
Encouraging people from different backgrounds and championing social mobility was fantastic to see. One example of this is how ESA is encouraging more women to be part of the Space-Industry workplace and to strengthen women’s representation in leadership roles. The DG committed to aim for at least 40% of recruitments to be women across all ESA domains as part of Agenda 2025.
The DG highlighted the pressure of the retirement wave, and how young people are vital to the industry. The new Junior Professional Programme is a testament to ESA’s commitment to developing young talent. The DG began his ESA career as a YGT himself. He had fantastic relatability to my everyday experience and could offer wonderfully contextualised first-hand advice, where "your performance is your passport."
