José Achache is currently the Secretariat Director of Global Earth Observation System of Systems. He is the first to serve in the position, having taken the post in 2005.

He was previously a research assistant then professor at the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris

Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris

The Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris is a French governmental, non-profit research and higher education establishment located in Paris, dedicated to the study of earth and planetary sciences by combining observations, laboratory analysis and construction of conceptual analogical and...

, deputy director of the French Geological Survey's research division, the deputy director general of the French space agency

CNES

The is the French government space agency . Established under President Charles de Gaulle in 1961, its headquarters are located in central Paris and it is under the supervision of the French Ministries of Defence and Research...

 and director of Earth observation at the European Space Agency

European Space Agency

The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...

.