On 24 June, senior corporate leaders, policymakers and public affairs executives gathered at TownHall Europe in Brussels for a full day exploring how uncertainty is reshaping the profession. Public Affairs Council President & CEO Nneka Chiazor opened the day, framing the growing expectations placed on public affairs teams amid global volatility.

The morning’s keynote, “Reading the Map,” featured Adam Ward of Oxford Analytica from Dow Jones in conversation with João Sousa, Managing Director of the Council’s International Practice, unpacking the geopolitical forces reshaping Europe’s political and economic landscape.

An Executive Conversation moderated by Chiazor brought together Emily Rees (CropLife International), Marcel Halma (Solvay) and Marionne Barge (Russell Reynolds Associates) to discuss what CEOs and senior leadership expect from public affairs today — and where the gaps between expectation and delivery remain.

The day closed with a panel, moderated by Sousa, featuring Amber Bechrouri (Amazon Europe), Gavrilo Nikolic (PHOENIX group), Laila Pinheiro (Syngenta) and Mayra Souza (IFF), who shared how leading teams are translating geopolitical risk into business-relevant insight and measurable impact.