EU PUBLIC & GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
HOW BRUSSELS WORKS
Erik Akse Author, Trainer, Coach Erik Akse is a specialist on Smart Regulation, the Commission’s leading principle for the preparation of legislative and policy proposals. He focuses on the possibilities stakeholders have to get involved in the earliest phase of EU decision-making: the drafting phase. In 2013, Erik published his book Influencing the Preparation of EU Legislation: A Practical Guide to Working with Impact Assessments.
Steve Leroy Vice President Legal and Corporate Affairs Europe, Anheuser-Busch InBev Steve Leroy leads both the legal and corporate affairs departments in Europe for Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewer. Steve stewards a team of around 80 professionals across Europe. He is also in charge of Anheuser-Busch InBev’s relationships with stakeholders at European Union level.
Tony Long Executive Director, World Wide Fund EU Representation Tony Long has 35 years of experience leading environmental nongovernmental organisations in the UK and Europe. He founded and heads the WWF European Office in Brussels which opened in 1989. Prior to that, he worked for WWF in the UK, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) and several local authorities in northwest England. He serves on the Assembly of WWF International, the main decision making committee of the organisation, and is a Board member of WWF Greece.
Elaine Cruikshanks Partner, Acumen Elaine Cruikshanks has over 25 years’ experience as a senior manager and public affairs and strategic communications professional at Hill & Knowlton. As CEO of the Brussels operation, she built up their Brussels office from 1994-2010 to be the largest PA/PR consultancy on the Brussels market, as well as having the role of director of the global public affairs practice. Her background is public affairs (having worked for the UK Foreign Office). Over the years, she has run Brussels, EU- wide and international campaigns for a range of clients.
David Earnshaw CEO, Burson Marsteller David Earnshaw has worked on European policy and political communications issues for 30 years, including in the European Parliament for six years (1987-1993) with the former chair of its Committee on Environment and Public Health (Sir Ken Collins). He ran the Brussels office of GSK for six years and followed that running advocacy in Brussels for Oxfam International. He joined Burson-Marsteller in 2002 and become CEO in Brussels in 2011. W W W. E U - P U B L I C A F F A IR S . E U
Andras Baneth Managing Director, Public Affairs Council Managing director of the Public Affairs Council (www.pac.org) European office, András has extensive experience from EU institutions and has trained over 1000 corporate public affairs executives from various Fortune 500 companies on European public affairs, digital communications and advocacy. He was the co-founder and director of the European Training Academy and senior partner at Arboreus, the company running the no. 1 EU career preparation website (www. eutraining.eu). He’s delivered policy briefings for President Barroso, served as member of cabinet in the office of European Commissioner Kovács.
Vicky Marissen Partner & Managing Director, PACT European Affairs Vicky Marissen is co-founder and managing director of PACT European Affairs/PACT Training. She is a recognised expert of the EU decision-making process, in particular post-Lisbon commitology procedures. Previously, Vicky was managing director at the European Training Institute and senior consultant at CLAN Public Affairs specialised in secondary legislation.
Stefano Sannino Permanent Representative of Italy to the European Union Between 2002-04, Stefano Sannino served as Romano Prodi‘s diplomatic adviser when Prodi was president of the European Commission. From 2004 to 2006 Stefano was the Commission’s director for crisis management and representative to the Political and Security Committee, the EU‘s main foreign-policy decisionmaking body. In 2006-08, he was diplomatic adviser to Prodi when Prodi was again prime minister. In 2008-10, Sannino held senior positions in the Commission‘s external-relations department before becoming deputy director-general for enlargement.
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