My Job
I am a lobbyist. I help clients to understand the functioning of the EU and UN agencies: WHO, ILO, FAO, UNEP, Rotterdam Convention, WTO and how they can best influence the decision-taking process. Knowing (what, who) for acting (how, when, where) is about making participative democracy actually happen.
My Experience
I have been in the EU lobbying arena for more than 30 years. Although close to Spanish interests in my first professional stage (1986-1999 Director in Brussels of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and representative in Eurochambres, founder of the first Spanish lobby firm in Brussels in 1990), Alonso & Associates went international with current clients in the EU, western Europe, Asia, North America and Latin America. Lecturer in Universities and Business Schools: Audencia Business School (Nantes, France), Carlos III University of Madrid (Madrid, Spain), Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), Schiller University (Madrid, Spain), ESCP-Europe (Madrid, Spain), HEC Montreal (Montreal, Canada), Public Institute of Public Affairs and Lobbying (Brussels, Belgium).
I am the author of the first book on lobbying written in Spanish (‘El lobby en la UE’, 1st edition 1995 – 2nd edition 2016).
My Specialisms
My Proudest Achievements
I cannot single out just one achievement in my long experience as lobbyist: I am very proud to have opened to SMEs, in the 80s, the traditionally ‘public-work’ focussed ERDF – European Regional Development Fund to internationalise small firms in poor regions thanks to the first ever Global Subvention FEDER-Cámaras. Later I made great achievements such as obtaining a regulatory exemptions and grace periods for economic sectors (‘mineralogical transformation processes’ in the energy taxation Directive; scientific review for a natural fiber…), contributing to get a favourable status inside the ETS for the cement sector (Emission Trade System), getting a Resolution by the European Parliament in the expropriation of Repsol by the Argentinian government or positioning at the highest level private sectors inside the UN agencies in Geneva. I am also very proud to have worked together with the private sector and the Brazilian government and contributed to reopen the European market to food products after sanitary crisis or to have helped bus operators to obtain a favourable resolution by the European Parliament in the dossier of the access to international services for passengers.
My Languages
Spanish, English, French, Italian and Portuguese.
My Interests outside work
Fan of literature (reading, writing) and history. Active sport practitioner (tennis, skiing). This relaxes me and allow me to come back on full steam to new professional challenges.
My Favourite Brussels anecdote
Being a strong defender of lobbying as a new profession, I was once advised by a creative professional why not to promote the use of visible and special ‘clothing for lobbyists’: wearing loud green jackets & caps in EU corridors (like, say, Roland Garros stewards) would definitely help to show up the new profession, enhance transparency, getting rid of urban legends about lobby and, last but not least, attract those sceptical people who still do not understand what hell are we doing in Brussels.