Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, announced that the Government of Canada has appointed Alexander MacDonald as president of the Canadian Space Agency. He succeeds Lisa Campbell, who has served as president of the agency since 2020.
Alexander MacDonald is an internationally recognized space policy and economics expert with more than two decades of experience in the space sector. Most recently, he served as the first chief economist at NASA, where he helped establish the agency's Moon to Mars strategy and Artemis program. Throughout his career, he has held a number of senior leadership roles at NASA, including senior economic advisor in the Office of the Administrator and founding program executive of the Emerging Space Office.
Alexander MacDonald holds degrees from Queen's University, the University of British Columbia and the University of Oxford. He is also an award-winning author and was awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 2024.
This appointment was made after an open, competency-based selection process.
