The Future of Public Affairs
By PANTARHEI Corporate Advisors
We wrote our first White Paper, “The Future of Lobbying”, in 2020, just a few months after the first lockdown – and in the belief that in Covid-19 we had experienced a black swan event, the likes of which we would not see again any time soon.
How wrong we were!
In February 2022, Europe experienced another before-and-after moment: Russia’s attack on Ukraine. For many companies, the “after” went hand in hand with intensive discussions with politicians, either because they had (and maybe still have) operations in Ukraine or Russia, or because the economic fallout from the war, such as rocketing energy costs, posed an existential threat.
So demand for Public Affairs has not weakened – it is actually stronger than ever before.
But war on Europe’s periphery is not the only cause for concern. 25 years on from the adoption of the Lisbon Strategy, Europe’s standing as a location for business and industry has not improved; in fact, all of the fundamentals look to be trending downwards. And in this context, politics is playing a not insignificant role.
This means that close consultation with policymakers is vital for companies’ survival. Public Affairs underpins major shifts that need to be understood and managed if companies want to hold their own in the competition of ideas, and build up an understanding of their business models and positions. The rise of artificial intelligence is another factor that will dominate our work over the coming years.
With all this in mind, this White Paper addresses the trends and developments that Public Affairs managers face in their work. And I’m particularly pleased that a number of respected experts from global European businesses agreed to share their insights with us.
We wish you an entertaining and
informative read!
Gilbert Rukschcio
Managing Partner
PANTARHEI Corporate Advisors