Antoine Rivet
Managing Director @ GOPA Com
Antoine Rivet
Managing Director @ GOPA ComAntoine Rivet is GOPA Com.’s Managing Director and a communication enthusiast. After working in the development and cooperation world, he embarked on a career change to specialise in public sector communication, and quickly grew from consultant to Managing Director of the cosmopolitan Brussels-based agency today. Antoine and the people at GOPA Com. are passionate about the European project and focus their work with European institutions to develop solutions to build bridges between citizens.
Ljiljana Simic
EU institutional anthropologist, interculturalist
Ljiljana Simic
EU institutional anthropologist, interculturalistPhd researcher in the field of international scientific multidisciplinary studies on intercultural EU image and its branding. Organisational Development consultant and trainer for EU institutions, EU Agencies, EU Delegations. Cross cultural and diversity advisers for private, public sector and NGO sector. As a trainers and consultants she has experience from many countries in team development strategies, intercultural communication, change management etc. Long - term experience with EU institutions positioned to advise, anticipate and evaluate working in multicultural teams and diversity issues. Co-author, editor in several academic books on Cross cultural Management, Cultural diversity and Cultural policies.
Paul Shotton
Co-Founder Advocacy Strategy, Owner at Shotton Consulting & Principal Lecturer THUAS
Paul Shotton
Co-Founder Advocacy Strategy, Owner at Shotton Consulting & Principal Lecturer THUAS
‘My passion is gathering and structuring advocacy best practice to promote professionalisation of advocacy practice. I strive to innovate in order to bridge advocacy research and practice. I am passionate about furthering our understanding of the policy-making process, acquiring advocacy tools and skills as well as defining advocacy strategies. For over twenty years I have worked in Brussels, London and The Hague for media, trade associations, companies, non-governmental organisations and in academia. Each provided new challenges, knowledge and skills. Exploring advocacy with students and professionals drove my work structuring the advocacy process as well as gathering advocacy knowledge, best practices and tools. I believe we can improve public affairs standards and advance our profession. ‘
Quentin Galland
Quentin Galland, Hague Corporate Affairs
Quentin Galland
Quentin Galland, Hague Corporate AffairsQuentin Galland, Hague Corporate Affairs Quentin is Senior Advisor, European Affairs at Hague Corporate Affairs. Trained lobbyist, he has an MA in Political Science (UCL, BE), completed by an EM in Communication and European Affairs (IHECS, BE). Quentin has developed his public affairs and corporate communication skills working for several European trade associations (wine, chemical and railway operators) and operating in several public affairs companies where he advised corporations and associations on agri-tech, health, energy and resource efficiency related issues. At Hague Corporate Affairs, Quentin oversees and implements public affairs strategies on projects pertaining to innovative agri-tech and health, at both European and Washington D.C. levels. Next to his career as a lobbyist, Quentin lectures at IHECS on case studies applied to EU public affairs.
Quentin Ariès
News Researcher @ The Washington Post
Quentin Ariès
News Researcher @ The Washington PostQuentin Ariès has been a journalist in Brussels since 2014. After learning his craft at Politico Europe, where he followed Brexit and lobbying and where he contributed to the ‘Brussels Playbook’, he now works as a freelance journalist. Current publications include The Washington Post and Contexte. He is also Chair of Cafébabel, the participatory European magazine. He graduated from Sciences Po Grenoble (Grenoble Institute of Political Studies) and University of Kent.
Paul Culley
Speaker on European Affairs
Paul Culley
Speaker on European AffairsSince 2016 - speaker, lecturer and facilitator for students and specialists in European affairs. 2010 - 2015 - Director of General Policy in the Cabinet of Secretary-General of the Council of the EU. 2005 - 2010 - Director of Trade and International Development in the Secretariat of the Council of the EU. 1986 - 2010 – a range of responsibilities in the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU in the areas of agriculture, public health and the single market.
Patrick Vastenaekels
EU Strategic Communications expert
Patrick Vastenaekels
EU Strategic Communications expertAs a communication expert, he has been responsible for over 25 years for the design and implementation of numerous public information campaigns, notably for the European institutions. Mr Vastenaekels was one of the founders of Mostra (now ICF Next), the Brussels-based agency specialising in European communication campaigns, and with around 150 employees from some 20 countries. He was responsible for the agency’s development and later served as its managing director.
Selena Doukhan
Selena Doukhan / French-American Content & Social Media Strategist
Selena Doukhan
Selena Doukhan / French-American Content & Social Media StrategistAfter having majored in Scandinavian studies and EU project management, she began working in communication after managing a major European online consultation in 2008 for the European Commission. She then continued in that field and gained solid experience in designing and implementing corporate and institutional strategies, both offline and online. In addition to crafting tailor-made Content and Social Media strategies, she also developed training programs for a diverse audience (from French senators, to Head of Marketing/Communication in Top companies or young Social Media Managers in Parisian hospitals, etc.). A few references: the European Commission, the European Parliament, the French Senate, the French Institute, the City of Paris, the French Ministry of Defense, UNESCO-IIEP, C-40 Cities, Eurosport, ENGIE, Sephora, AXA…
