Francois Paul Lambert

Francois Paul Lambert

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
13K followers 500+ connections

About

Hello, I’m Francois! Welcome to the intersection of law and the space economy. If you've ever marveled at the night sky and wondered about the legal scaffolding that makes space exploration and business possible, you're in the right orbit. Join me on a journey where we navigate the complexities of space law, explore trillion-dollar opportunities, and strive for a sustainable future in space.

From the moment I landed in Texas as an exchange student from Belgium, I was captivated by the country’s spirit of limitless possibilities. That year lit a fire in me, and I decided to chase audacious goals. After graduating from law school, a stint as a trainee Air Force pilot, and a life-altering accident that nearly ended my dreams, I found my purpose in the infinite expanse of space, becoming a space lawyer.

Why Space Law? Our destiny is bound to the stars. The opportunities in space are fabulous. But it can't be a new Wild West. Not on my watch! I'm a dreamer, inspired by sci-fi greats like Arthur C. Clarke and Frank Herbert, but I'm also a doer. I believe the laws and technologies we create for space can guide how we manage and protect Earth. So far, we've had it backward. My mission is bold yet grounded: to transform how we view and interacts with space, making it a domain governed by ethical and sustainable principles.

Today, my life is a rich mosaic of law, technology, and a deep love for space. My journey led me through Airbus and the European Commission, where I wrote a book on Space Law. I've negotiated high-stakes deals at IBM and spearheaded legal efforts at the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). I’m now a World Economic Forum Expert on Space and my peers at Amazon's Project Kuiper can vouch for my relentless drive and foresight in regulatory matters. Yet, my most fulfilling venture has been founding Orbital Reach, a consultancy firm embodying my interdisciplinary expertise and vision for a sustainable space future.

If you're a CEO in aerospace, a startup founder, a General Counsel, or a government official keen on navigating the complexities of the space economy, I'm your go-to specialist. I speak your language, blending disruptive innovation with the seriousness our field requires. Space is hard, and I get it.

Let's work together to maximize our positive impact at scale. Whether it's for consulting, speaking, or just following my unique insights on space sustainability and the space economy, I'm here to empower you and your organization to reach for the stars—ethically and sustainably.

Articles by Francois Paul

  • T029 // From Doubt to Respect: China’s Space Rise

    T029 // From Doubt to Respect: China’s Space Rise

    ALSO: French rockets coming to Australia, the concept of Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO), investigating unidentified…

    3 Comments
  • T028 // Spacewalk Showdown

    T028 // Spacewalk Showdown

    ALSO: Space economics insights (it’s not so rosy), the latest developments in space governance, regulations & policy…

    3 Comments
  • T027 // The Economics of Satellite Broadband

    T027 // The Economics of Satellite Broadband

    ALSO: Underestimating the threat of falling space junk, the complexity of the wireless spectrum, pioneering global…

    7 Comments
See all articles

Contributions

Activity

Experience

  • Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) Graphic

    Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA)

    Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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    Troy, Michigan, United States

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    Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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    Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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    Canberra, Australia

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    Canberra, Australia

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    Greater Boston Area

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    Prague, The Capital, Czech Republic

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    Ireland

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    Paris Area, France

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    Brussels Area, Belgium

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Education

  •  Graphic

    -

    Thesis: "What Future for the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) in the 21st Century? Decisional Evolution and Elements of Analysis With Regards to the New Relations with Russia and Ukraine"

  • -

  • - Present

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    Bilingual Program French/English (Common Law)

  • - Present

Licenses & Certifications

  • Certified Internal Quality Management System Auditor (ISO 9001) Graphic

    Certified Internal Quality Management System Auditor (ISO 9001)

    Lloyd's Register

    Issued
    Credential ID PRA 6010894/0120_4
  • Certified Practitioner of the MBTI® Step I™ and Step II™ Instruments Graphic

    Certified Practitioner of the MBTI® Step I™ and Step II™ Instruments

    The Myers-Briggs Company

    Issued
  • Australian Registration Certificate - Australian-Registered Foreign Lawyer Graphic

    Australian Registration Certificate - Australian-Registered Foreign Lawyer

    The Law Society of NSW

    Issued Expires
    Credential ID 99474

Volunteer Experience

  • World Economic Forum Graphic

    Expert (Space)

    World Economic Forum

    - Present 3 years 4 months

    Providing expertise on 'Space Sustainability' and 'Space Commercialization'. Contributor to the 2021 Strategic Intelligence map on space.

  • Standards Australia Graphic

    Committee Member, SV-001 Space Systems and Operations

    Standards Australia

    - 10 months

    Science and Technology

  • International Institute of Space Law (IISL) Graphic

    Member

    International Institute of Space Law (IISL)

    - Present 7 months

  • Moon Village Association Graphic

    Institutional Member

    Moon Village Association

    - Present 8 months

    Science and Technology

  • Révolution Digitale™ Graphic

    Co-Founder & Producer

    Révolution Digitale™

    - 5 years

    Economic Empowerment

    Starting a business is hard. Very hard. But it is also gratifying and fun if it is aligned with your values and skills, and solves an essential problem for others.

    We are bringing together the most amazing French-speaking entrepreneurs all over the world to inspire the new generation!

    Many entrepreneurs have had tremendous success. We wanted to understand how they did it and share their wisdom. We hope to show that entrepreneurial success is also possible in the Francophone world,…

    Starting a business is hard. Very hard. But it is also gratifying and fun if it is aligned with your values and skills, and solves an essential problem for others.

    We are bringing together the most amazing French-speaking entrepreneurs all over the world to inspire the new generation!

    Many entrepreneurs have had tremendous success. We wanted to understand how they did it and share their wisdom. We hope to show that entrepreneurial success is also possible in the Francophone world, from Africa to Belgium, Canada and France, and everywhere people speak French.

    RévolutionDigitale, after just 2 Seasons:
    ★ 110 information-packed episodes
    ★ 107 entrepreneurs from 20 countries
    ★ +1000% audience growth
    ★ +20K Followers on FB
    ★ Regular Top 5 in Apple Podcast Entrepreneurship section
    ★ Top 10 in Apple Podcast Business section (June, Oct 2018, Jan 2019) and regular Top 50
    ★ Featured in "What's Hot" on Apple Podcast (Feb 2019)
    ★ Featured on Castbox.fm (Jan-Feb & Apr-Jun 2019)
    ★ Featured on Pat Flynn's Fusebox.fm (2020)
    ★ Selected as Media Partner of the French Investment Bank (Bpifrance)'s B.I.G. event in 2020, one of Europe's largest entrepreneurship event
    ★ Loads and loads of OZ coffee!!!

    ** Listen now: http://bit.ly/revodigitale **
    ** More info: https://RevolutionDigitale.fr **

Publications

  • European Trajectories in Space Law

    Office for Official Publications of the European Communities / Bruylant / Homes International

    (Foreword by Philippe BUSQUIN, European Commissioner in charge of Research between 1999‐2004 and Member of the European Parliament)

    Based on the results of a three year long consultancy study for the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities (OPOCE), this book presents information on the most recent developments in space law and regulations (2008), in a shape that suits university research as well as the general public (space contractors, consultancy, ...). It is aimed…

    (Foreword by Philippe BUSQUIN, European Commissioner in charge of Research between 1999‐2004 and Member of the European Parliament)

    Based on the results of a three year long consultancy study for the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities (OPOCE), this book presents information on the most recent developments in space law and regulations (2008), in a shape that suits university research as well as the general public (space contractors, consultancy, ...). It is aimed at anyone who is, or will be, in a near future involved in space travel/exploitation/technologies, as the challenges are more and more widespread in our everyday life : satellite communications, GPS, traffic control, scientific research, resources exploitation, and a potentially fast growing sector, space tourism.

    This book provides :
    - Historical Backround,
    - The problems authorities and actors in space must be aware of in order to comply with regulations.

    Other authors
    See publication

Projects

  • Révolution Digitale, le Podcast des Nouveaux Entrepreneurs

    -

    Starting a business is hard. Very hard. But it is also gratifying and fun if it is aligned with your values and skills, and solves an essential problem for others.

    We are bringing together the most amazing French-speaking entrepreneurs all over the world to inspire the new generation!

    Many entrepreneurs have had tremendous success. We wanted to understand how they did it and share their wisdom. We hope to show that entrepreneurial success is also possible in the Francophone world,…

    Starting a business is hard. Very hard. But it is also gratifying and fun if it is aligned with your values and skills, and solves an essential problem for others.

    We are bringing together the most amazing French-speaking entrepreneurs all over the world to inspire the new generation!

    Many entrepreneurs have had tremendous success. We wanted to understand how they did it and share their wisdom. We hope to show that entrepreneurial success is also possible in the Francophone world, from Africa to Belgium, Canada and France, and everywhere people speak French.

    RévolutionDigitale, after just 2 Seasons:
    ★ 110 information-packed episodes
    ★ 107 entrepreneurs from 20 countries
    ★ +1000% audience growth
    ★ +20K Followers on FB
    ★ Regular Top 5 in Apple Podcast Entrepreneurship section
    ★ Top 10 in Apple Podcast Business section (June, Oct 2018, Jan 2019) and regular Top 50
    ★ Featured in "What's Hot" on Apple Podcast (Feb 2019)
    ★ Featured on Castbox.fm (Jan-Feb & Apr-Jun 2019)
    ★ Featured on Pat Flynn's Fusebox.fm (2020)
    ★ Selected as Media Partner of the French Investment Bank (Bpifrance)'s B.I.G. event in 2020, one of Europe's largest entrepreneurship event
    ★ Loads and loads of OZ coffee!!!

    ** Listen now: http://bit.ly/revodigitale **
    ** More info: https://RevolutionDigitale.fr **

    Other creators
  • ERA-STAR Regions

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    ERA – Space Technologies Applications & Research for the Regions and Medium-Sized Countries. It was a 4-year project (Coordination Action) under the ERA-NET scheme of the 6th Framework Programme of the European Commission.

    ERA-STAR Regions started in November 2004 with the objective to co-ordinate R&D management and funding activities in the field of applications related to GALILEO, GMES, and other technologies (such as satellite technologies, launcher concepts, human space flight…

    ERA – Space Technologies Applications & Research for the Regions and Medium-Sized Countries. It was a 4-year project (Coordination Action) under the ERA-NET scheme of the 6th Framework Programme of the European Commission.

    ERA-STAR Regions started in November 2004 with the objective to co-ordinate R&D management and funding activities in the field of applications related to GALILEO, GMES, and other technologies (such as satellite technologies, launcher concepts, human space flight, exploration and exploitation of space, etc.) in the participating Regions/Countries, with the final goal of launching joint calls for proposals.

    The ERA-STAR Regions network links research programme managers from these regions with the objective of building the transregional critical mass in RTD capacity needed to meet the growing opportunities that space programmes and space-based services offer.

    Other creators
    See project
  • Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and System Integration Projects

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    Contact me to get a detailed report on my BPO and System Integration experience at IBM

    Some of the projects I worked on:

    > Integrated suite of IT systems and support outsourcing (2009-­2010)
    > Next Generation Business Systems Architecture (2009)
    > Strategic Outsourcing Asset Management Solution (2008-­2009)
    > Integrated Ticket System (2008)

Honors & Awards

  • IBM Legal - CGM Sales Win Award - Q1 2009

    IBM

    (Eircom win)

Languages

  • English

    Native or bilingual proficiency

  • French

    Native or bilingual proficiency

Organizations

  • International Institute of Space Law (IISL)

    Member

    - Present
  • Moon Village Association

    Member

    - Present
  • Space Law Council of Australia and New Zealand

    Member

    - Present

    The Space Law Council of Australia and New Zealand (“SLC-ANZ”) is a not-for-profit company established to be a hub of ideas and promote the exchange of professional discussion between the law and the issues that arise out of the use of outer space, development of new space technologies and the importance of appropriate legal frameworks.

  • Association of Corporate Counsel

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