ICEYE delivers unparalleled persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth, faster and more accurately than ever before. Owning the world's largest Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite constellation, ICEYE provides objective, near real-time insights, ensuring that customers have unmatched access to actionable data, day or night, even in challenging environmental conditions. As a trusted partner to governments and commercial industries, ICEYE delivers intelligence in sectors such as insurance, natural catastrophe response and recovery, security, maritime monitoring, and finance, enabling decision-making that contributes to community resilience and sustainable development.

ICEYE operates internationally with offices in Finland, Poland, Spain, the UK, and the US. They have more than 700 employees, inspired by the shared vision of improving life on Earth by becoming leaders in Earth Observation.

It is one of ESA’s suppliers of commercial Very High Resolution (VHR) satellite imagery for rapid-response disaster monitoring and mitigation, among various other applications. Through its well-established membership of ESA’s Third Party Mission (TPM) programme, ICEYE contributes over 30 satellites to the programme. Its imagery is freely accessible to the remote sensing science community for application development, upon acceptance of a project proposal by ESA.

Quentin Gillet is a Strategic Account Manager at ICEYE, focusing on government and institutions accounts across Europe. In this role, Quentin manages key relationships, ensuring that the solutions provided by ICEYE meet the stringent requirements of their clients. His background in marketing at Airbus and extensive experience at Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS) in maritime awareness and SAR data have been instrumental in shaping his career.

Quentin is passionate about leveraging SAR data to enhance decision-making in critical areas such as disaster management, defence, and environmental monitoring.

To delve deeper into ICEYE’s contributions to the TPM programme and its broader impact on the remote sensing field, let’s take a closer look at what Quentin oversees.

Born in 1990, Quentin was born in Rennes (France) and grew up in the north west of Brittany in Morlaix.

He holds a Master's degree in Business to Business (B2B) Management, from Toulouse Business School. He started his career in marketing at Airbus, where he gained foundational experience in the aerospace industry.

Quentin has since built a successful career in the field of Earth Observation, particularly focusing on SAR data, first at CLS as a Business Development Manager for maritime awareness solutions, and now at ICEYE as a Strategic Account Manager, where he continues to drive impactful projects in disaster management, defence and environmental monitoring.

ESA: Just what does the role of a Strategic Account Manager entail?

Quentin: My role as a Strategic Account Manager at ICEYE involves building and nurturing relationships with our government and institutional clients. I act as the main point of contact between these entities and ICEYE, ensuring that we understand their needs and deliver tailored solutions that meet their specific requirements. This involves close collaboration with our technical teams to translate client requirements into actionable solutions, particularly in high-stakes areas such as disaster response, defence and environmental monitoring. Additionally, I work on identifying new opportunities where ICEYE's SAR data can add value, ensuring we remain at the forefront of Earth observation services.

ESA: How does ICEYE support ESA’s Third Party Mission programme?

Quentin: ICEYE’s participation in ESA’s Third Party Mission programme is a significant part of our commitment to advancing Earth observation technologies. Through the TPM programme, ICEYE provides access to our SAR data to universities, R&D labs, and other scientific institutions. This not only supports cutting-edge research, but also helps to cultivate the next generation of SAR specialists. By sharing our data, we ensure that the academic community can explore new applications and refine methodologies using the latest SAR technology, ultimately benefiting both the scientific community and the broader public.

ESA: What benefits does the TPM programme provide to ICEYE?

Quentin: The TPM programme offers ICEYE several key benefits. Firstly, it strengthens our collaboration with leading research institutions, allowing us to stay at the cutting edge of SAR technology developments. This exchange of knowledge helps us continuously improve our offerings.

Additionally, by providing our data to the next generation of researchers and scientists, we help to ensure that they are familiar with ICEYE’s capabilities, which may lead to future collaborations or commercial opportunities. It also aligns with our mission of contributing to global resilience by supporting advancements in Earth Observation.

ESA: What are the most exciting aspects and/or challenges of your role?

Quentin: One of the most exciting aspects of my role is the ability to work on projects that have a real-world impact. Whether it's supporting disaster management efforts or aiding environmental monitoring, knowing that our work at ICEYE contributes to saving lives and protecting the environment is incredibly rewarding!

On the flip side, one of the challenges is ensuring that we continuously meet the high expectations of our clients, especially in a rapidly evolving field like Earth observation. The need to stay ahead of technological developments, while also understanding the unique needs of each client, can be demanding but is also what makes the role so dynamic.

ESA: How did your studies and/or previous experiences shape your career and any last thoughts on your overall experience?

Quentin: My studies in B2B management provided a solid foundation in understanding business dynamics and client relations, which are crucial in my current role. My time at Airbus introduced me to the aerospace sector, but it was at CLS where I truly developed a passion for SAR data. Working in maritime awareness solutions, I saw firsthand the power of SAR in delivering critical insights, which ignited my interest in this technology.

Joining ICEYE has been a natural progression in my career, allowing me to focus on my passion for SAR while working on impactful projects. Looking back, I feel fortunate to have had experiences that have not only shaped my career, but also fuelled my passion for making a difference through technology.