Best consultancies

Brussels Office Since

Firm Description

Kellen professionals are educated in a variety of relevant disciplines and well versed in understanding the challenges and opportunities of associations and coalitions. Our Brussels staff of over 40 includes professionals from over 10 nationalities and with a wide range of expertise and experience. Together they serve over 30 associations of European or global membership.

Kellen is a global association management and communications company delivering dynamic, scalable solutions to clients for more than 50 years. We are serving more than 125 trade associations, professional societies and charitable organisations representing over 10,000 companies and 100,000 professionals worldwide.

Ownership Structure

NV/SA.

International Structure

Kellen has offices in Brussels, Beijing, Atlanta, Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. Kellen has strategic alliances around the world ranging from Brazil to the Middle East, Singapore and India.

Key Strengths

Association Management, Marketing & Communications, Digital Strategy, Regulatory & EU Affairs, Meetings & Events, Strategic Advice & Planning, Global Consulting

Number of Public Affairs Consultants

Key Clients

• EUROBAT – Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers
• ERA – European Equipment Rental Association
• IALD – International Association of Lighting Designers
• ISC – International Stevia Council
• EU Salt – European Salt Producers’ Associatio

Thought Leadership

Kellen established thought leadership in the European association environment in many ways: Leaders of Kellen are active in the European Society of Association Executives (ESAE). Alfons Westgeest and Maria Teresa Scardigli served as Board members. Alfons was also Board member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Nele Devolder is a board member of SEAP, the Society of European Affairs Professionals.

Kellen has demonstrated leadership in Brussels through educational activities such as its annual EuroConference (2000 –2016) as a platform for association executives and companies to learn and share best practices on association management.

Kellen shared its knowledge through three books published by Palgrave on association representation and advocacy (2000 –2003), executive lunches and workshops.

The Report on Strategic Planning for Associations (2014) is a reference work. Social Media Reports 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 (Europe, US, China) illustrate our forward thinking on important factors for associations regarding social media, based on a wide field research project.

For over 10 years, Kellen partners with ASAE, the American Society of Association Executives to host a yearly conference in Washington DC: ‘Europe Today’.

Kellen is also an active supporter and contributor of ESAE and FAIB in Brussels.

Testimonials and why clients like to work with us

“We find Kellen highly professional, dedicated and efficient, worthy of their good reputation. The flexible approach to association management services suits our organization, and we benefit from the continuity and in-house synergies of a global company.”

Yves Goemans,  DuPont, Chairman EUVEPRO (European Vegetable Protein Association)

“Kellen played a crucial role in the set-up of VIPA International in 2014. Thanks to their professionalism and expertise in building consensus the association was created in less than one year time. The first facilitation session was instrumental in getting the go-ahead from all the parties around the table to create an industry representation as a way of tackling some regulatory and technical challenges which were preventing the growth of the VIP (vacuum insulation panel) industry. Since then the association has grown in membership, activities and visibility and we have good prospects ahead of us. As President of the association in the first two years of activity, I was grateful for having the support of Kellen’s staff and I am sure the other Board members concur with me in saying that we could not have made it without them, at least not as fast and effectively as we did!”

Chief Research Officer (CRO & Founder), of va-Q-tec