Claudie Haigneré holds French nationality. She is a rheumatologist, with a Doctorate in sciences majoring in neurosciences. In 1985 she was selected by the CNES (French National Space Center) as an astronaut candidate. She has been an independent Director of Sanofi since 2008, member of the Appointments and Governance Committee and of the Compensation Committee. Claudie Haigneré began her career as a rheumatologist at Cochin Hospital in Paris in 1984. In 1996, she participated in the scientific space mission to the MIR space station (Cassiopée, Franco-Russian mission), then in 2001, in the scientific and technical space mission to the International Space Station (Andromède mission). From 2002 to 2004, she was Deputy Minister for Research and New Technologies in the French government, then Deputy Minister for European Affairs from 2004 to 2005. Between 2005 and 2009, she was Counselor to the European Space Agency (ESA). Claudie Haigneré is currently a Director for several companies and foundations in France including: France Telecom, Fondation de France, Fondation CGénial, Fondation d’Entreprise L’Oréal, Fondation Lacoste, École Normale Supérieure, of the Campus Condorcet and the Pôle de Recherche et d’Enseignement Supérieur Hautes-Études-Sorbonne-Arts-et-Métiers. She is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of La Géode, Chairman of Universcience (Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie and Palais de la Découverte) as well as Member of Académie des Technologies, of Académie des Sports, of Académie Nationale de l’Air et de l’Espace

 rheumatologist