Acumen Public Affairs

Acumen Public Affairs

Public Relations and Communications Services

Acumen Public Affairs is an independent consultancy. We combine big agency experience with hands-on senior support.

About us

Acumen Public Affairs is an independent consultancy set up in 2010 to combine the very best of big agency experience with hands-on senior support. Founding partners Elaine Cruikshanks and Giles Keane together with Nikos Manaras and Max von Olenhusen have an unrivalled track record in public affairs and strategic communications gained over more than 50 years of working for corporations, governments, trade associations, NGOs and international institutions in Brussels, Geneva and beyond. They now relish the opportunity to work in close partnership with clients and bring the benefits of their expertise and contacts to achieve goals that are both business-focused and sustainable. Acumen Public Affairs' philosophy is to provide clients with value adding strategic counsel and high quality execution – by the same people. When we commit to an assignment, this means personal supervision and implementation by Acumen partners from beginning to end. That way we can ensure that we deliver results and surpass expectations – and do so at competitive prices that only an independent agency can offer. Acumen Public Affairs believes in the power of taking an integrated approach to advocacy and communication to achieve outcomes that have a tangible impact on business performance. We have a track record of developing winning strategies that are sustainable, by identifying a confluence of interest among key stakeholders. In other words, we are skilled at squaring the circle between the private and public sectors and ordinary citizens by addressing the human aspects of issues in a regulatory or business context.

Industry
Public Relations and Communications Services
Company size
51-200 employees
Headquarters
Brussels
Type
Partnership
Founded
2010
Specialties
Public Affairs, Media Relations, Communications strategy development, Messaging and positioning, and Issues and crisis preparedness and management

Locations

Employees at Acumen Public Affairs

Updates

  • View organization page for Acumen Public Affairs, graphic

    9,740 followers

    If you haven't met our new Head of Tech, Zuzana Púčiková, read the short Q&A with her to learn some fun facts and break the ice:   🇪🇺 How did you end up in EU affairs?  Well, I came to Brussels to learn French, but decided to stay as a student. The only English-language master's program that I could afford was in EU Affairs... and the rest is history.   🏆 Are you one of those tech dinosaurs? Yes, I am. With almost two decades in tech, I have been part of groundbreaking projects. From slashing mobile roaming costs together with EU Commissioner Reding, to leading policy and some great CSR initiatives at Amazon, Uber, and EVBox.   😇 What is the craziest thing that happened to you?  Once, during a team building event in an escape room with former consultants, I managed to "escape" from the building. I risked getting arrested for trespassing, as I was convinced it was all part of the game. After having made it out of the building, I still had a fake gun in my hand.    🗳️🪩 Is public affairs the only sector you worked in?  Nope. My career has been diverse, including a thrilling European elections campaign with Volt Slovakia, night work for the CIA (or the Czech Information Agency) and teaching kids to dance. I don’t give up easily - whether in political activism or navigating a tricky escape game. Just be warned: you might find yourself in a mud-race with me. 🏃♀️     Connect with her and learn more about her fascinating journey! 

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  • View organization page for Acumen Public Affairs, graphic

    9,740 followers

    The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act comes into force tomorrow (1 August), marking the world's first comprehensive cross-sectoral law on AI. 🌍🤖 Although its implementation is still in progress—with 39 pieces of secondary legislation, such as implementing/delegated acts, guidelines, and standards, to be developed in the coming months—its impact on the #healthcare landscape in the EU and beyond remains largely unknown. 🏥❓ At the same time, policymakers are increasingly viewing AI as a core technology to enhance healthcare and #lifesciences. We anticipate further 🇪🇺 policy actions, beyond the current #AIAct, to fully unlock AI's potential in healthcare and provide a clear path for #healthtech players towards compliance and legal certainty. Curious about what’s in the EU’s health AI basket? Acumen’s Digital Health and Tech teams have been tracking the latest developments, exploring the impact of ongoing initiatives on the health sector and what to expect in the new legislative cycle. 🔄🩺 #AIAct #AIHealthcare #DigitalHealth #TechInnovation

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    9,740 followers

    🇪🇺 Today we conclude the tour that took us around Europe to decode the results of the latest #EuropeanElections. Our final stop is Portugal. 🇵🇹   Notably, Portugal stands out as the country with by far the newest MEPs, showcasing a remarkable renewal of its political representation and signaling a fresh direction in its approach to European Union affairs.   Don't miss the carousel below for the key takeaways from the EU results. ⬇️

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    9,740 followers

    Have you heard the latest news? Ursula von der Leyen won a second term as European Commission President! 🇪🇺   Here at Acumen, we are on top of things and excited to share the overview of key new initiatives for #tech in the 2024-2029 European Commission mandate.   Explore the carousel we’ve crafted for you and immerse yourself in Ursula von der Leyen's ambitious vision for the future of European technology. 💻 📱 🔐   From AI to cyber-defence, discover how the EU plans to stay at the forefront of #innovation and #competitiveness. Don’t miss out on what’s next for European tech! ⬇️

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    9,740 followers

    The recent votes from Central and Eastern European countries in the European elections have confirmed a rightward trend, significantly impacting Europe.   Explore our carousel to uncover the underlying reasons and understand the broader implications of this established political direction.   Special thanks to our expert: Craig Willy.   Stay tuned for our next update soon! 🗳️

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    9,740 followers

    Since yesterday, some of our Acumen colleagues have swapped their Brussels office for Strasbourg, soaking in the atmosphere of the first plenary of the tenth European Parliament. 🇪🇺 The energy is palpable as we immerse ourselves in the heart of European policymaking. It's a unique blend of learning, engagement, and networking—being in the right place at the right time! 📚🤝 A special shoutout to Gianluigi Vona (Gigi), Ali Rojo Santos, Héloïse Martin, Ivan Zalinkevicius, and Julia K. for representing Acumen and being at the forefront of these inspiring discussions. 🙌🌟

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    9,740 followers

    It's summer, and we're taking you to the sea 🌊   In the four Mediterranean countries we analyzed, European elections have been full of surprises. From the loss of support for the ruling party in Greece to the entrance of independent candidates and extreme left and right-wing parties into the European Parliament for Cyprus, Croatia, and Malta.   We've put together a neat little carousel for you to find out who is returning and some of the key new faces expected to make a splash in the coming five years 👇   Special thanks to our Mediterranean countries’ experts: Stavroula Genikalioti and Efthymios Skoufas.

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    9,740 followers

    🇫🇷 France has elected a new National Assembly after President Macron dissolved it on June 9th, following the European elections. In those elections, Marine Le Pen's National Rally (far-right) led with 31.3% of the vote, while Macron’s Renaissance party (centrist) got 14.6%. Check out our analysis of the EU elections in France here (https://lnkd.in/ePmtme3N) Here’s what happened on July 7:  🗳️ Contrary to the polls, the Nouveau Front Populaire (Socialists, Greens, La France Insoumise, and Communists) won big with 180 seats.  📉 President Macron’s party, Ensemble, came in second with 163 seats, losing 82 MPs compared to 2022.  📊 Despite leading in votes (8,744,080), the National Rally ended up third with 143 seats (up from 89 in 2022). Why such a shift?   The election saw many constituencies with three or four candidates making it past the first round. This led to a “Republican Front” in the second round, uniting against the far-right. For the first time since 1958, the Assembly is split into three almost equal blocs. No party can govern alone, so coalitions are a must. 🤔 What’s next?  The Left Alliance is expected to propose a Prime Minister and government by the end of the week. However, they’ll need 289 votes to survive a confidence vote, which is unlikely without more support. Macron’s party could try to ally with moderate left-wing parties (Greens, Socialist Party), though there are significant policy differences. Another possibility is for Ensemble (163 seats) to team up with les Républicains (right-wing, 66 seats) to form a minority government. There’s also a chance that some MPs from Macron’s party could join the Left Alliance to form a minority government. If you want to learn more about how this affects EU politics, and the policy direction of Europe, reach out to our experts. Special thanks to our French experts, Héloïse Martin and Clélia Jouve.  🌟

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    9,740 followers

    Welcome to our latest recap of the national results from the recent European Union elections! Today we bring you to the Emerald Isle 🇮🇪 We take a deep dive into the new political dynamics, the most relevant newcomers, and the likely next Irish Commissioner. 🔄   Special thanks to our expert: Adam Neville.   Stay tuned for our next carousel soon! 🗳️

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    9,740 followers

    The results of the European elections in Poland have confirmed the strength of Donald Tusk's party. However, all eyes are now on the upcoming Presidential elections next year. 🇵🇱🇪🇺   To give you a better understanding of the evolving political landscape in Poland after the #EUElections, we've put together a neat little carousel for you to find out who is returning and some of the key new faces expected to make a splash in the coming five years 👇 A special thanks to our Polish experts, Klara Orłowska and Julia K..

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