Jean-Pol Poncelet, 55, holds a physics and civil engineering degree from the Louvain Catholic University in Belgium. He began his career researching plutonium fuel at Belgonucléaire in 1974. He was involved in research in renewable energy and the environment in 1979, then advisor to several ministers in the energy sector. From 1991 to 1995, he chaired the Belgian nuclear waste and fissile material agency, ONDRAF, before becoming Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Minister of Energy in the Belgian government between 1995 and 1999. In particular, he was behind the bills opening up Belgium's electricity and gas markets to competition. Until August 2005, Mr. Poncelet was Director of Strategy and External Relations at the European Space Agency.