On 16 June 2023 our community leaders – President Maria Sotiriou, Vice President Arnolds Eizensmits and Strategic Partnerships Officer Despina Manousos Laurent – attended the LSE Alumni Leadership Forum 2023 in London which gathered volunteers from 30+ countries. Our President Maria was invited to share advice on LSE AAB best practices and LSE Director Baroness Minouche Shafik met with the Alumni representatives on her last day at the School.

The event was a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas on how to enhance Alumni group activities and to learn more about the future plans of the LSE. As part of its 2030 strategy, the LSE aims to continue shaping the world with the curious minds of its 200,000 strong Alumni network.

Main tasks:
• Support the Secretariat in GEODE’s advocacy activities related to electricity and gas
distribution networks regulatory developments.
• Represent GEODE in relevant platforms, events and meetings with European decision-makers
and stakeholders in the energy sector.
• Deliver input to public consultations and further GEODE members’ interests towards the EU
institutions and stakeholders.
• Work in close cooperation with GEODE’s expert members (and leverage their expertise) in
dedicated Working Groups and Task Forces.
• Help in the organisation of internal meetings with expert members as well as public events
and webinars.
• Support and coordinate the drafting of GEODE publications and key messages, on the abovementioned topics.

Specific requirements:
• Master’s Degree in European affairs, e.g., European political studies or legal studies.
• A minimum of 3-4 years of experience in the European energy sector, with a solid
understanding of EU policy-making processes.
• Previous experience in European affairs (e.g., industry association, public affairs consultancy)
is desirable.
• Excellent networking skills and a good personal network in the Brussels energy landscape.
Language skills:
o English (excellent command)
o One more official EU language is desirable. German will be considered an advantage
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong organisational skills and flexibility.
• Ability to work both independently and in a team.

Conditions:
• Permanent Belgian employment contract
• Occasional travelling outside Belgium might be required
If you think that you are a good fit for this position, we look forward to receiving your CV (no longer than
2 pages) and motivation letter as soon as possible. Deadline for applications: 8 July 2023.
Please send your application to info@geode-eu.org with the subject line “Application Policy Advisor
GEODE”.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and only short-listed candidates will be contacted for
interviews. For more information about GEODE, please visit www.geode-eu.org

On 7 March 2023, we were delighted to be hosted at the European Commission’s headquarters by Mr Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the EC for Promoting the European Way of Life and LSE alumnus.

We had a great discussion on the work of the von der Leyen Commission, the European Way of Life and the political challenges ahead. Mr Schinas encouraged LSE Alumni to remain optimistic about the future and expressed belief – shared by the LSE Alumni Association Belgium – that our beloved LSE will always remain a great European school.

After two successful editions, the LSE AAB Mentorship Scheme returns in 2023, matching experienced alumni with recent graduates to provide support and guidance on the competitive Eurobubble (and wider Belgium) job market.

Feel like you have some wisdom to impart? Share it with your fellow graduates and help them avoid the pitfalls you yourself may have experienced! Are you a new graduate in the first steps of your career? Benefit from the experience of someone who has been a mile in your shoes!

You will be paired up by the LSE AAB Board, based on your motivation and professional experience. As a mentee, you will then have the opportunity to improve your CV, expand your network, and brainstorm your next career step. As a mentor, you will get the chance to pass your knowledge and skills on to someone who dearly needs the right advice to break into the job market, to make a career change, and to gain a foothold in a new country.

The programme will run from February to July 2023 and we ask you to agree to a minimum of three 1-hour long meetings. Want to meet more often? Be our guest! In addition, we are planning to organise some activities to support the participants.

Have we piqued your interest? If so, please fill out this short form. It should only take a few minutes. *Please note that applying is free, but mentees must be LSE Alumni.

Deadline to apply: 23:59 CET on 6 January 2023. Feel free to contact us via mentorshiplseaab@gmail.com in case of any questions!

On 15 July 2022, the LSE AAB community had the privilege of being invited to a high-level reception at the French Permanent Representation to the EU by H.E. Mr Philippe Léglise-Costa, French Ambassador to the EU.

The Ambassador shared with us his assessment of the French presidency of the Council of the EU from January to June 2022, at a time when the EU faced unprecedented challenges. He noted that about 2,000 in-person meetings took place during the presidency to address various challenges.

Russia's war against Ukraine required many, many hours of work to rapidly prepare the EU response. Similarly to the Covid pandemic, the unforeseen crisis which required fast EU-level solutions pushed the Council to operate in a new form by also taking operational decisions on, e.g., concrete military and humanitarian aid to be given to Ukraine. This conflict also has led to greater EU unity and gave momentum to advance with enhancing the EU's strategic autonomy by, i.a., reducing energy dependence, increasing food security and defense capabilities.

France also managed to advance with other policy issues, notably the Fit for 55 package, as well as the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act – historic decisions to regulate the digital space. Several important agreements were also reached to ensure fairer trade practices, e.g., to regulate distortive foreign subsidies.

In the political field, the Conference on the Future of Europe concluded during the French presidency. The Ambassador emphasised that this was a unique exercise in participative democracy which will assist future reforms. The French proposal of establishing a wider European Political Community also looks likely to progress.

Maria Sotiriou, President of the LSE AAB, moderated the event and thanked the host for his hospitality. The event concluded with a networking reception.

Specific requirements:
• Master’s Degree in European affairs, e.g., or Communication studies
• A minimum of 2-3 years of experience in the European energy sector, with a solid
understanding of EU policy-making processes and the European Institution
• Previous experience in European affairs (e.g., industry association) is desirable
• Creative, attentive to detail, quality drive, have a sense of initiative and flourish in a very
dynamic environment
• Fluent spoken and written English (other EU languages are an asset. French and/ or German
will be considered an advantage)
• Excellent writing and proof-reading skills and feel comfortable translating technical concepts
into lay person's terms
• Strong organisational skills and flexibility.
• Being passionate about communication, master the latest tools and are curious about new
developments that could support your work
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a collaborative team spirit.

If you think that you are a good fit for this position, we look forward to receiving your CV (no longer than
2 pages) and motivation letter as soon as possible. Deadline for applications: 11 July 2022

The Traineeship Programme is intended to provide young, skilled graduates with the opportunity to gain experience in one of the leading public affairs agencies in Brussels, as well as exposure to a broad range of EU actors, policies and processes.

Applicants for the programme should fulfil the following requirements:
• Master degree in a related field (politics, law, economics…)
• Previous internship or experience in the EU institutions or in public affairs
• Knowledge of the EU institutions and of EU decision-making
• Enthusiasm for EU policy making and a willingness to learn
• Understanding of EU digital/tech policies/keen interest in them
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Fluent English, good knowledge of French and at least one other EU language
• Good organisational skills and time management
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to work in an international team

The responsibilities will include:
• Research and analysis on a range of policy topics
• Organising and participating in meetings and events
• Supporting in the delivery of public affairs and communications programmes for clients active in online platforms, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, tourism and travel, product policy and other policy areas
• Assisting in the implementation of outreach programmes towards EU institutions and other stakeholders
• Assisting in preparing reports, presentations and other internal/external documents
• Assisting in business development activities

The company offers:
• An exciting entry-level role with one of the market leaders
• A well-paid traineeship programme under the “convention d’immersion professionnelle” status, with on-going professional development opportunities
• Varied and interesting assignments
• A pleasant and dynamic working environment

How to apply:
Applications should consist of a CV and a short introductory email (no motivation letter required). They should be sent by 31 March 2022 to jobs@interelgroup.com mentioning NAME + Junior Consultant – Technology in the subject line.

To celebrate the International Women’s Day, on 8 March 2022 we invited our alumni to discuss the popular concept of ‘Confidence Culture’ with Karen Massin, Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google and Shani Orgad, Professor in the Department of Media and Communications at LSE, who has recently published a book on the topic together with Rosalind Gill.

Our distinguished speakers provided enriching and valuable insights into this broader cultural issue that sees the solution to overcome inequalities in the workplace in women, needing to “believe in themselves”, to “lean in” or tweak certain behavioural aspects and gain equality. We discussed some of the downfalls of this individualistic approach that declares individual women responsible to fix structural corporate problems by adapting their reaction.

Some key take-aways from the session:

• Confidence as a general personality trait is not an issue, but rather the individualised and psychologised ‘confidence culture’, which sometimes reads as self-help or a need to be more assertive. It is a narrative that is telling women that what stands in their way to those opportunities is something internal or psychological. As such, we need to invest in building and sustaining social structures and policies that actually support, ensure and reinforce women’s safety, well-being and power, to create an environment that supports women in feeling more confident in the workplace.

• Mind the gap between the public narrative of a feminist society where women can do anything and a reality in the workplace that is not quite there yet. While gender equality has made significant strides in people’s attitudes, as well as some workplace situations, there are still structural barriers that need to be addressed, e.g., around maternity leave or flexible work policies. Professor Orgad pointed out that this discrepancy then tends to lead women to internalise the blame for failing to succeed in a situation that was more staged against them than the narrative suggests.

• Men are central to these discussions. We need to work on reframing these issues as issues for men, for society and companies, moving away from the term ‘women’s issues’. By reframing the discussion, men can lead conversations of gender equality as well, and not just add their small contribution.

• We need to also think about diversity, equity and inclusion more broadly than just gender equality and, for that, we need organisations to be part of structural change. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will make a new push at boosting women’s representation on companies’ boards, for instance, but we are still not seeing the true diversity of our societies reflected in our organisations and institutions. We need more active participation and commitment to structural change for diversity.

On February 22, 2022, the LSE AAB, together with LSE Careers, organised the annual Careers panel discussion for future LSE graduates who want to discover professional opportunities in Brussels. During the online event six distinguished alumni shared their stories and experiences in the ‘EU bubble’ and beyond. Our panellists were Patrick Hall, Associate with Finsbury Glover Hering Consultancy, Alessandra Pozzi Rocco, Member of Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs’ Cabinet, Nikolaos Theodosiadis, Junior Professional at the European Commission, Lena Hillmeier at the United Nations Liaison Office for Peace and Security (UNLOPS), Giacomo Loi, Public Affairs Consultant at FleishmanHillard, and Marija Skundric, EU Civil Servant at the European Parliament.

The event was chaired by Despina Manousos, Careers Officer and Strategic Partnerships Manager of the LSE AAB. She started the discussion by providing a brief overview of the LSE AAB and the range of activities organised, then gave the floor to the speakers who explained their career paths and what brought them to Brussels. The discussion centred around career advice for graduates who are eager to start their career in Brussels.The panellists shared valuable tips and advice with the audience on how to navigate through the various career possibilities and how to thrive in a highly competitive job market. The event concluded with a lively Q&A session.

Here are some key take-aways from our speakers:

- Patience and perseverance: Finding a job can be challenging and can take time. Often it is a matter of being at the right place at the right time. Maybe you have knocked on 100 doors already without success, but knock on one more because that might be the lucky one. So don’t give up!

- Taking risks and being open to opportunities: Don’t be afraid to take risks and dare to dream big. There is no such thing as failure, but it is all part of a growth process. It is important to be flexible and open to opportunities, even if it is not your dream job, because it is part of your learning experience. It might be precisely that opportunity which will bring you one step closer to your ‘dream job’.

- Ask yourself the right questions: It is important to have a plan, to be strategic and to ask yourself the right questions before applying. Being curious, proactive, driven and coming well-prepared are all essential to land a job that feels right for you.

- The power of your network: Never underestimate the strength of your network. If you are new in town, the LSE AAB is a great place to start building your network. Brussels offers countless opportunities to dive into whatever field interests you and build your expertise, so if you have a passion, make the most of it. But make sure you invest in your contacts and build quality relationships.

On January 31, 2022, the LSE Alumni Association Belgium hosted its kick-off event for the Mentorship Scheme cohort 2021/22. It was an occasion for mentors and mentees to discuss their experiences and expectations, and hear insights from our special guest Helene Banner.

Helene Banner is an LSE Alumna and a former speechwriter of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. After a long and successful career in and around the Brussels bubble she decided to follow her own career path, became a speaker and created her own business called “Let’s Just be Imperfect, Ladies”.

The event started with an opportunity for the participants to share their previous experience with mentorship programmes to break the ice. We were happy to see that even some people who have not had the greatest luck with them so far, have decided to take a chance on our programme.

Afterwards, our keynote speaker Helene talked about her own inspiring professional journey that was always based on developing and exploring new interests and following her ‘why’. She built her speech around 3 main points of advice for our mentors and mentees:

1)      You can only achieve what you can imagine – so surround yourself with people who broaden your horizon

Your network, your mentor and your relationships are your most important asset for your career in Brussels. If you have a goal, a dream or just questions, surround yourself with people who are already "there" – or ask your mentor if he or she knows somebody in that area. The people in your network will broaden your horizon and give you ideas to what is possible for you – because we can only achieve what we can imagine, right? Your job in the mentoring: to ask questions. To be genuine, authentic and transparent – you will learn so much about yourself.

2)      Follow “your” career, not the “perfect” career

Rather than only following external success factors, such as status, titles and pay, try to find your own definition of success: what is your deeper “why”? What truly fulfills you? What actually made you come to Brussels? Make that “why” guide your career choices. Keep checking in with yourself: can I really grow as a person in this job or am I only following this career path because it is “expected” with my LSE degree – and because all the others are doing it? Don’t hesitate to make different choices, to fail, to try again, to grow, to shape work places with your talents and strengths – once you dare to follow your “inner”, authentic definition of success, you will stay true to yourself in important decision-moments – and your “external” success will follow automatically and visibly.

3)      Use your mentoring experience to grow and learn as a person, beyond your career ambitions

A mentoring relationship goes beyond giving and receiving guidance, support and access. Because of the limited time-frame of the mentoring, you can use it to achieve certain goals and milestones together, especially if you meet regularly. If there is a trust relationship, both sides can also use it as a safe space to test ideas with an independent person who has a genuine intention to support the other. As a mentor, it can be truly valuable to not only be the “wise person” but also to get a completely different perspective on your own work through the lens of a young person and their life challenges.

After Helene shared her views, the participants were able to get to know each other a bit better during breakout sessions.

The event concluded with the Mentorship Scheme coordinators Deborah Rubinstein and Victoria Heinen announcing what type of events the Mentorship Scheme participants can look forward to, such as a training session (Q1 2022), face-to-face events, such as a drinks social (TBC) and focus group meetings for regular follow-up (every other month). At the end, Helene encouraged participants to reach out to her if there are mentorship-related skills they want to ask or learn more about.