Emma Cracknell - Best in Brussels

Emma Cracknell, Senior Vice President & Director, Healthcare

FleishmanHillard

Emma.cracknell@fleishmaneurope.com

My Job

I lead and manage a team of experts who advise and support clients on strategic files related to the EU’s healthcare agenda. I have a particular passion for the interplay between public policy and communications, supporting organisations to understand and advocate in an increasingly complex political landscape, and marrying the conversations on access and innovation to bring value to patients and healthcare systems across Europe.

Having worked both in-house and on the agency side, I have specific experience in EU healthcare legislation, patient advocacy engagement, policy communications, value and access, and public affairs capability building.

My Experience

I’m actually a FH boomerang…! I started out as an undergraduate intern in 2011 in FH Brussels, working in the integrated communications team. After graduation, I was extremely lucky to be offered a place on GSK’s Future Leadership Programme in Communications and Government Affairs, where I held roles in the UK and Belgium in Pharma Europe (internal comms), Consumer Healthcare (external comms), and Vaccines (Government Affairs). However, after a couple of years, I decided to take a chance on an offer to come back to FH Brussels and help re-start its healthcare offering.

My Specialisms

Healthcare

My Proudest Achievements

Building our healthcare offering from the ground into a fantastic practice and finding the most wonderful colleagues and clients to do all of this with. Building a practice from scratch at the beginning of your career is hard work, you’ve got to balance getting your name out on the market, convincing clients to go on the journey with you, keeping on top of the legislative machine, and hiring a team at the same time. 9 years later, a full team, and a roster of amazing clients, I’m sat writing this profile and having one of those moments where it still all seems a bit unreal!

My Education

First-Class Joint Honours Degree in French and Politics from Newcastle University.

My Languages

English and French.

My Interests outside work

All things food: cooking, dining, and mapping out the best places to get the best dishes in as many different countries as I can.

Because life’s all about balance, I’m also a keen runner. My husband makes me hike on holiday, so I think this should probably also be listed as a ‘sporting’ interest.

I can spend a whole day locked away reading a book and not notice the time.

Last but not least, my team will be disappointed if my cat doesn’t get a mention.

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