UN Selects Indian-Origin Satellite Industry Expert as Director of Outer Space Affairs
Written by Sanjay Kumar
News Highlights
- Aarti Holla-Maini, an Indian-origin satellite industry expert, appointed as Director of UNOOSA.
- Holla-Maini brings over 25 years of experience in the space sector, including managerial and advocacy roles.
- She played a key role in the Crisis Connectivity Charter for emergency satellite telecommunications.
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
- Abbreviation – UNOOSA
- Formation – 13 December 1958; 64 years ago
- Type – Secretariat office
- Legal status – Active
- Headquarters – Vienna, Austria
- Parent organization – United Nations Secretariat
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Aarti Holla-Maini, an Indian-origin satellite industry expert, as the Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in Vienna. Aarti Holla-Maini, a resident of the United Kingdom, will be taking over from Simonetta Di Pippo of Italy.
UNOOSA’s primary objective is to foster international collaboration in the peaceful utilization and exploration of outer space, as well as the application of space science and technology for sustainable social and economic development.
Aarti Holla-Maini brings with her extensive experience in the space sector, spanning more than 25 years, including leadership and advocacy roles. Most recently, she served as the Executive Vice-President of Sustainability, Policy & Impact at NorthStar Earth & Space. Prior to that, she held the position of Secretary-General at the Global Satellite Operators Association for over 18 years.
Throughout her career, Aarti Holla-Maini has been involved in various roles. She has been a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Space, the Advisory Group of the Space Sustainability Rating managed by eSpace at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) Space Center, and the Advisory Board of the Satellite Industry Association of India. Additionally, she served as a Senior Space Policy Advisor to Forum Europe and acted as an Expert Advisor on Space Traffic Management for European Union studies between 2021 and 2023.
Notably, Aarti Holla-Maini played a significant role in designing the Crisis Connectivity Charter in 2015. This charter aimed to provide emergency telecommunications through satellite technology in collaboration with the UN World Food Program’s Emergency Telecommunications Cluster.
Aarti Holla-Maini’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in law with a specialization in German law from Kings College London, UK, and a master’s degree in business administration from HEC Paris, France. Furthermore, she is an alumna of the International Space University and is proficient in English, French, German, and Punjabi, with a moderate understanding of Dutch.
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