Paolo Ferri, born in Milan, Italy, is a distinguished physicist renowned for his extensive career at the European Space Agency (ESA). He earned his degree in Physics from the University of Pavia in 1984, focusing on theoretical plasma physics applied to nuclear fusion. That same year, Ferri joined ESA's Science Directorate as a visiting scientist, contributing to the EXOSAT X-ray astronomy satellite operations at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany. Transitioning to mission operations in 1986, he served as a Spacecraft Operations Engineer for the EURECA microgravity mission and later as Spacecraft Operations Manager for the CLUSTER mission, which studied Earth's magnetosphere. Notably, Ferri was the Spacecraft Operations Manager and later Flight Director for the Rosetta mission, the first to rendezvous with and land on a comet's nucleus. In 2006, he became Head of the Solar and Planetary Mission Operations Division, overseeing missions such as Mars Express, Venus Express, and BepiColombo. By 2013, Ferri advanced to Head of ESA's Mission Operations Department, responsible for the operations of all ESA unmanned missions and the management of ESA's global ground station network, ESTRACK. After retiring from ESA at the end of 2020, Ferri's contributions have been recognized with several honors, including induction into the International Astronautical Federation's Hall of Fame in 2015 and being named a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 2021. His career exemplifies dedication to advancing space exploration and mission operations.