My Job
I lead Hanover’s environmental and climate practice. I help companies, trade associations and governments to understand the complex European sphere and to anticipate, manage and mitigate impacts on their businesses, interests and priorities. I advise them in developing their EU policy strategies, their stakeholder engagement, their messaging and their positioning.
In a word: I help them understand why Brussels matters, how to interact, and when and with whom they ought to engage to make an impact.
My Experience
Prior to joining Hanover, I worked for trade associations, consultancies and in the European Commission.
In my previous role, I worked at trade association Hydrogen Europe where I helped companies in their energy and mobility transition journey; when leading the Mobility and Trucks Working Groups, I made sure EU decision makers were hearing our concerns and recommendations during a significant policy upheaval.
I also built influential coalitions with Brussels-based trade associations, NGOs, think thanks by co-organizing events, signing joint letters and pushing coalition messaging across communications channels.
During the past 15 years I acquired significant experience in the field of sustainability and climate change, specifically on topics related to sustainable mobility, energy, research, innovation, hydrogen technologies, as well as industrial and regional policy.
My Specialisms
My Proudest Achievements
I am delighted to successfully help clients developing their public affairs practice in Brussels. I am thinking specifically about one client that has started with zero knowledge of the EU decision making process. A few months later, I was happy to see how confident he was casually mentioning trialogue and delegated act, as if he had been in the “bubble” forever.
I am also extremely proud to have such a fantastic team, smart, committed, fun as well; and to have been able to keep the great team spirit and excellence at the same level since joining Hanover, if not higher 😉
I also want to stress all the “small” victories as I am convinced that it is equally important to celebrate successes along the way. I am proud basically every time I win a battle for a client, be it getting amendments in or securing successful meetings with the right stakeholders at a decisive moment
My Languages
French, German, English, Moroccan dialect
My Interests outside work
I could spend days in flea markets and second-hand clothes shops, I guess that’s makes me a real circular economy person.
I love getting creative with my son – inventing stories together, role playing, as well as “making art”.
I also try as much as possible to reserve some quality time for myself – to read, walk, or simply enjoy a cappuccino in my favourite cafe next door. This helps me recharge and manage my life as a hard-working adviser and colleague, but also as a devoted wife, mother, sister and friend.
My Favourite Brussels anecdote
It was during my first traineeship in Brussels, when one my first day, I was tasked with calling the European Commission: I was so scared that I had written down how to introduce myself in English, French and German on three post-it notes just in case people would react in any of these 3 languages. Thinking back on it now, I find it super cute, but I am also taken aback about how much stress we put ourselves under in those early years of our careers. I do my best today to mentor those just starting out on their own careers, be it within my team and beyond, to help them become more self-confident.