I am an entrepreneur, author, two-times TEDx speaker, strategic communications and public affairs expert, passionate about psychology, international affairs, AI/GPT, political and science communication.
In 2024, I rebranded my European Training Academy company as Influence Builders to offer workshops on strategic communication, ChatGPT and AI use in the workplace and for public affairs and advocacy, and science communication training. IB also organizes study tours for those interested in advocacy and lobbying.
In 2008, I was the co-founder of EU Training, the market leader of EU career & EPSO preparation and winner of the prestigious Deloitte Fast 50 Award. In 2023, we added EUcourse.eu to our portfolio, a comprehensive e-learning course explaining how EU institutions and decision-making work.
I am the proud author of The Ultimate EU Test Book, Europe’s no.1 best-seller on EU (EPSO) exams, sold in over 100,000 copies since 2006. The book has helped countless candidates prepare for EPSO competitions, thousands of whom are now permanent EU officials.
In 2024, I joined as partner the leading Brussels-based digital and policy communications agency, The Right Street.
I also run a beautiful event center called Ambiorix Center that offers a rentable space for roundtables, workshops, webinars and podcasts (with a soundproof studio) in the EU district next to the Schuman Roundabout.
In 2017, I launched and ran SpeakerHub, a global platform where public speakers and moderators can be found by and connect with event organizers, which I sold to a US entrepreneur in 2024.
In 2013, I set up the European office of the world’s largest public affairs association, the Public Affairs Council's European office which I was leading and then advising until late 2023.
Earlier in my career, between 2004 and 2011, I spent seven years at the European Court of Justice and the European Commission, where I coordinated briefings for Commission President Barroso, served as a member of the cabinet of Commissioner Kovács and dealt with European regulatory procedures known to experts as ‘comitology’.
I have an M.A. in Law and Political Sciences and a degree of Master of European Public Administration from the College of Europe, Bruges, Belgium.
I am open to invitations to speak about strategic, political, EU, and science communication, public affairs, advocacy, lobbying, AI/ChatGPT, skill-building for government relations professionals, EPSO exams, EU careers, and entrepreneurship.
I have given presentations and held training courses for over 3,000 corporate and other professionals from the USA to Brazil and several European countries, including:
Topics I often cover:
Profile photo for articles, handouts and press requests below.
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