Europe in Practice
After more than fifteen years in journalism, I had the privilege of spending another defining decade, between 2014 and 2024, in the European Parliament (Brussels/Strasbourg) as Chief of Cabinet to István Ujhelyi, Member of the European Parliament. It was a defining decade of my professional life: a period in which I learned how European decision-making works not from books or distance, but from the inside — through negotiations, campaigns, policy debates, public initiatives, institutional battles and quiet diplomatic work that often remains invisible from the outside.
One of the achievements closest to my heart from those years was our contribution to helping FreeInterrail become a real European programme. The original idea came from two young German activists, whose bold and almost idealistic proposal we were among the first to embrace and support at European level. What is known today as DiscoverEU grew out of that vision: to give young Europeans the chance to discover their own continent by train, to meet each other, and to experience Europe not as an abstract political construction, but as a living, breathing community.
I still consider it one of the most meaningful projects I have ever worked on, because it combined policy, youth, travel, identity and the European idea in a way that was both practical and deeply human.
Under the big top
Another important chapter of my European work has been connected to the world of circus arts. The BigTopLabel project began during my years in the European Parliament, but over the past decade it has grown into an iconic European recognition scheme for high-quality circus work. Through this long-term involvement, I have gained a depth of policy knowledge and a network of professional relationships within the European and global circus sector that I could never have anticipated at the beginning.
It was therefore a real honour to be invited to serve as European advisor to the European Circus Association and to the Fédération Mondiale du Cirque, presided over by H.S.H. Princess Stéphanie of Monaco. Circus was not originally an art form particularly close to my own world; yet over time I have not only learned to understand it, but also genuinely grown to love it.
Building Bridges That Matter
Since 2024, I have continued this policy work from a different angle as Strategic and Creative Consultant at the Brussels-based consultancy think-tank: Capital European Affairs. CEA works with a wide range of important clients, and as a senior colleague I support the work of our president, István Ujhelyi, and our team in many different ways: through strategic thinking, communication planning, brand development, political and institutional analysis, content creation, stakeholder engagement and project management. At the same time, I also lead and develop my own projects within the company’s portfolio.
Among these projects, my work with the Global Humane Society has become particularly important to me. Supporting the European presence of an organization with nearly 150 years of history and a global role in animal welfare means much more than traditional communication support.
It involves helping to build bridges between EU institutions, national decision-makers, NGOs, professional sectors and industry partners — from sustainable tourism and agriculture to zoos, conservation and humane filmmaking. In recent years, this work has included supporting the opening and development of GHS’s Brussels presence, contributing to European-level meetings and events, and helping to shape cooperation in areas where animal welfare is increasingly understood not as an isolated issue, but as part of broader questions of sustainability, responsibility and public trust.
Where It All Connects
This is where my different professional lives meet. My background in journalism taught me to ask the right questions and tell stories clearly. My years in European politics taught me how systems, institutions and interests move.
My studies and qualifications in communication, branding, design, marketing and AI-supported strategy allow me to support clients in a broad and integrated way — not only in what they say, but also in how they define themselves, how they appear, how they build relationships and how they make strategic decisions.