From Policy Expert to Strategic Business Partner: The Brussels Public Affairs Forum

One idea surfaced repeatedly throughout the Forum: “We need to become the chief connector.”

The most effective public affairs leaders connect people, perspectives and information across the organization. They bring together legal, sustainability, communications, government affairs and business leaders to ensure that external developments are understood and reflected in strategic decision-making.

They also build trusted relationships with policymakers, industry partners and stakeholders whose perspectives help businesses navigate an increasingly complex environment.

Gone are the days when public affairs was viewed simply as the function that monitors legislation or manages relationships with policymakers. Increasingly, organizations expect their public affairs leaders to contribute directly to business strategy.

This means understanding not only how policy is made, but also how political, regulatory and geopolitical developments affect commercial objectives, investment decisions and long-term competitiveness.

As several Forum speakers observed, public affairs professionals are moving closer to the CEO than ever before. Today’s executive teams need leaders who can translate external developments into business decisions, helping organizations identify risks, recognize opportunities and make informed strategic choices.

That shift also demands a broader skill set. Today’s practitioners need business acumen alongside policy expertise. They must understand their organization’s priorities, communicate in commercial terms and clearly demonstrate how public affairs contributes to business success.

The Forum also encouraged participants to be confident advocates for their own function. Public affairs leaders should feel empowered to explain the value they bring and to claim their place at the leadership table as their perspectives are increasingly essential to business decision-making.

Judgment Matters More Than Ever

Participants agreed that AI is already transforming the profession by making research, monitoring and analysis faster and more efficient. These tools allow practitioners to spend less time gathering information and more time interpreting it.

However, speakers consistently emphasized that while AI accelerates access to information, it cannot replace a public affairs leader’s ability to exercise judgment, build trust, understand the nuances of an organization’s business or advise executives even when there is no obvious answer. As these technologies become more capable, the human ability to interpret information, weigh competing priorities and make strategic decisions becomes even more valuable.

Seeing Public Affairs in Practice: The Brussels Study Tour

While the Forum explored how the profession is changing, the Brussels Study Tour allowed participants to see those changes in practice.

Over two days, participants from around the world engaged directly with European Union institutions, Brussels-based practitioners and senior corporate public affairs leaders to better understand how policy is shaped and how organizations engage with European decision-makers.

Discussions covered Europe’s competitiveness agenda, economic security, trade policy, stakeholder engagement, and the dynamic geopolitical landscape. Rather than focusing solely on institutions and processes, the program emphasized how effective public affairs is practiced every day.

One of the strongest themes to emerge from the Study Tour was the importance of trust. While policy expertise is essential, lasting influence is built through credible relationships and genuine engagement with stakeholders.

Whether speaking with EU officials, corporate practitioners or consultants, participants experienced firsthand that public affairs is ultimately a people-driven profession.

Preparing for What’s Next

The conversations throughout both events reflected a profession that is evolving alongside the world it serves. Geopolitical developments, industrial policy, technological innovation and shifting economic priorities are creating new challenges for businesses across every sector, requiring public affairs leaders to broaden both their perspective and their capabilities.

The profession is no longer defined simply by understanding policy developments. Organizations increasingly need leaders who can connect external developments to business strategy, assess risks from multiple perspectives and help their organizations respond with agility as new challenges emerge.

That requires professionals who understand both policy and business, connect people across organizations, exercise sound judgment and build the relationships that enable better decisions.

Building the Next Generation of Public Affairs Leaders

Taken together, the Brussels Public Affairs Forum and Brussels Study Tour highlighted a profession that is becoming more strategic, more integrated and more central to organizational leadership.

Information is more accessible than ever, and technology can process it at extraordinary speed. But organizations still need people who can interpret complex developments, understand their business implications and build the relationships that turn insight into action. These capabilities are developed not only through learning, but also through dialogue with peers facing similar challenges. They will define the next generation of public affairs leadership.

Through programs like the Brussels Public Affairs Forum and Study Tour, the Public Affairs Council remains committed to serving as both a trusted resource and a convener for the profession. We equip professionals with the knowledge, networks and leadership skills they need to thrive in an evolving role while bringing together practitioners from different industries, markets and perspectives to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions and learn from one another’s experience.