LSE AAB Careers Panel Discussion 2017

The discussion began with the introduction of the speakers by the moderator, Despina Manousos, who is a policy advisor at the European Parliament and the LSE AAB careers officer.  The first speaker, Ziyad Lunat, press officer at the European Parliament, described how he seized different professional opportunities which enabled him to live all around the world. Then, Sini Suonpää, consultant in EU Public Affairs at FleishmanHillard, highlighted the importance of networks, noting that the students’ first connections are their classmates. Bernd Spanier, for his part, emphasised the need for perseverance, a quality that helped him through his long journey from working as a trainee to preparing briefings for the High Representative Federica Mogherini.

Harry Cooper, reporter at Politico Europe, proposed to the students to identify and approach specific people in the industry that interests them. “Don’t be reluctant to do work shadowing and internships”, advised Sonia Dunlop, policy adviser at SolarPower Europe, adding that such placements could help them choose their specialisation later on in their career. Finally, Annabelle Laferrère, a policy officer to the EU at the French Development Agency (AFD) who had recently arrived in Brussels, praised the city and shared her excitement to be there.

Their interventions were followed by a lively Q&A and the promise by the organisers to host the event again next year!