Rud Pedersen Public Affairs Brussels

Join us in giving Gregg Svingen a warm welcome 👏 Gregg is our latest addition to the team. Our new Senior Advisor has spent his 25-year career helping startups, multinationals, NGOs, and governments navigate international political and communication challenges. He has agency experience from roles at APCO, Weber Shandwick, and The Centre/Edelman, and spent five years as Director of Communications for a technology trade association during significant M&A activity. At UPS, Gregg served as Vice President for Corporate Affairs where he built and led a corporate affairs team covering 219 markets, integrating internal and external communications. Gregg studied his Bachelor's degree at the University of Washington and SciencesPo Paris. He holds a Master’s from the London School of Economics & Political Science and completed executive education at the Yale School of Management. Currently, he consults internationally and has supported U.S. Democratic presidential campaigns through Democrats Abroad since 2004. His most important title remains the double-hatted role of husband and father to three Dutch-American children. We're glad to have you on board, Gregg!

Have you met Pete? He is an integral member of our newly established Substance Advocacy Practice. Watch as Peter Simpson, Senior Advisor at RPPA Brussels, discusses his role focusing on risk management processes and the essential preparation for REACH dossiers. Pete outlines the significance of presenting information clearly and effectively, highlighting how substance properties and socioeconomic analyses impact regulatory decisions. Do you need assistance with navigating the EU's substance risk assessment and management processes? Don't hesitate to reach out to James Stevens or Adam Sebesta! #PublicAffairs #Chemicals #SubstanceAdvocacy

We’re thrilled to welcome Alessandro Torello as our new Head of the Energy & Climate cluster! Alessandro brings over 16 years of experience in the field, having worked in journalism, trade associations, large corporations, and consulting. As a Brussels correspondent for Dow Jones/The Wall Street Journal, he reported on energy and climate policies, analysing their impact on various industries. His career also includes roles at one of Italy's largest energy companies, where he combined policy expertise with communications strategy, advising C-suite executives. Before his move to Brussels, he covered transport reporting for Bloomberg in Rome. Alessandro holds a Master's degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), with further studies across Italy, France, and the US. In his free time, he trains for triathlons. Alessandro speaks Italian, English, French, and Spanish. We're delighted to have you here, Alessandro!

We're excited to welcome Gaetan Dermine as our new Finance Director! Gaëtan has accumulated 15 years of experience in various finance roles across multiple organisations. Most recently, he served as an operational finance manager at ICF Next, a company specialised in providing communication services to EU institutions. Gaëtan is a Belgian citizen fluent in French, English and Dutch. He is the proud father of three young boys and enjoys spending his free time doing sports, listening to music and going to cultural expos. Welcome Gaëtan 👏

Today marks the deadline for the EU Member States to transpose a key EU cybersecurity legislation, the NIS 2 Directive. It sets new provisions for critical operators and public authorities across the EU. Here's the summary from our own Goran Gotev who leads the Technology Practice of Rud Pedersen Public Affairs Brussels. Want to learn more? Feel free to reach out to Goran.

Join us! 👋

🎉 We're thrilled to have Jacqueline Claesson join our team! Jacqueline is a Research Executive in the Technology Practice at RPPA. Before joining Rud Pedersen, she interned at the European Digital SME Alliance and the Stockholm Region EU Office in Brussels. In these roles, she wrote reports, contributed to strategic engagement, and monitored institutional developments in digital policy. Jacqueline holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Economics from Stockholm University and a Master's degree in European Public Affairs from Maastricht University. Additionally, she studied Business and Economics for a semester at the University of South Australia and spent a year as a high school exchange student in Texas, USA. Her diverse experiences and educational background have cultivated a keen interest in the European Union and its policies. She is a native Swedish speaker, fluent in English, and has a basic understanding of French. Welcome Jackie!

On 10 October, Rud Pedersen Public Affairs Brussels was proud to co-organise the inaugural EU-South Africa Agri-Food Trade Roundtable, hosted by H.E. Ambassador Dr. Tokozile Xasa at the South African Embassy to the EU. Discussions focused on unlocking new market access opportunities and tackling the trade barriers faced by South African businesses seeking to thrive in the EU market. As the first of its kind, this roundtable set the stage for ongoing collaboration between the private sector, South African authorities, and the EU institutions to elevate agri-trade partnerships to new heights. We are excited about the road ahead and the potential to make a lasting impact on the EU-South Africa agri-food trade relationship. Key highlights from the event: 📌 Strengthening bilateral dialogue between institutions and the business community in both regions is essential to harness the full potential of this partnership, which remains untapped. 📌 Addressing trade barriers is a critical step in maximising growth for South African businesses in the EU market. 📌 Recent political shifts in both the EU and South Africa present new challenges and exciting opportunities for trade, requiring strategic responses. 📌 Leveraging EU funding opens up significant possibilities for advancing agricultural development and trade in South Africa. A big thank you to our moderator, Wouter Lox, and all the panelists and participants for their invaluable insights. Together, we’re driving progress in agri-trade! Salamina Maelane; Rachel Morake; Kwena Komape; Abdul Waheed Patel; FoodDrinkEurope's Louis Hinzen; Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz)'s Theo Boshoff and Wolfe Logan Braude; European Commission's Niels Weller and Luchino Ferraris; Matlou B. Setati (Tsebe); Corteva Agriscience's Nick Goble and our very own Daniel Dalton, Adam Sebesta, Renato Giacon, Federico Narducci, Paula Pérez Pecorelli and Ludovica Casa.

📢 Joins us in welcoming our new colleague, Tommaso Grasso! Tommaso specialises in chemical policy, assisting clients on a broad range of regulatory issues and on the development of integrated public affairs campaigns. Prior to joining Rud Pedersen, Tommaso worked for another Brussels-based consultancy, where he assisted both large chemical manufacturers and trade associations with regulation at both European and international level. With a background at the intersection of policy and economics, Tommaso holds a BSc from the University of Warwick (UK) and a dual master's degree from Bocconi University (Italy) and Sciences Po Paris (France). A native Italian speaker, Tommaso is also fluent in English and French. Welcome Tommaso!

Did you know we have a new Substance Advocacy practice? The practice is a cross-office collaboration that regroups experts from our Food & Agriculture and Environment & Chemicals clusters. One such expert is Diane Watson-Nielsen, Director at RPPA, and Head of the Environment & Chemicals and Healthcare practices. With over 25 years of experience in public affairs, Diane plays a crucial role in coordinating our workstreams and driving advocacy efforts. Her expertise lies in identifying and engaging with key stakeholders, ensuring organisations understand and comply with the stringent EU chemicals regulations—often seen as a global benchmark. Here is what Diane has to say about why substance advocacy matters for companies working in this sector 👇 #PublicAffairs #EU #Chemicals #Advocacy