Canada appoints Alexander MacDonald to lead its space agency

Canada’s government has appointed Alexander MacDonald president of the Canadian Space Agency. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly announced the appointment on 4 November, and MacDonald will start on 16 November, SpacePolicyOnline said.

MacDonald succeeds Lisa Campbell, who had led the agency since 2020. Her five-year term was extended by one year. Senior Vice President Jean-Claude Piedboeuf has served as acting president for the past several months, Joly said.

Experience and selection

Born in Canada, MacDonald holds Canadian and US citizenship. He was NASA’s first chief economist and left the agency in December 2024. He then joined the Center for Strategic and International Studies as a non-resident senior associate; his LinkedIn profile also listed him as a distinguished professor of practice at Arizona State University.

The Canadian government said the appointment followed an open selection process based on candidates' abilities. Joly cited MacDonald’s leadership experience, expertise in space policy and economics, and understanding of space’s importance to national and economic security. She said his background suited him to advance innovation, scientific discovery and economic growth through space exploration and the development of sovereign capabilities.

Earlier robotics recommendation

In May, SpaceQ identified MacDonald as a potential successor to Campbell and said he recommended shifting Canada’s robotics work away from building Canadarm3 and toward robotics for the Moon’s surface. The recommendation followed NASA’s decision to pause Gateway, a lunar space station.