Guest blog from Milos Labovic
Author of "EU Superlobby: Winning in Brussels"
The format for this guest blog series is quite simple: During 2026, 12 of the best and most interesting PA Pros in Europe will be invited to contribute with one blogpost each here on my Substack, in which they answer 10 sharp questions about their experiences from working in Public Affairs and what they have learned along the way.
So the ambition with this initiative is to provide readers with a realistic view of what Public Affairs is really about: honest and hard work! It is about learning from good or bad habits from some of the best in the business. So remember to subscribe to the blog, so you don’t miss out on the upcoming guest blogs.
The January blogger was Mette Kahlin McVeigh, Senior Vice President of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at Stora Enso, which you can read here.
The February blogger is Vera Heitmann, Head of Public Affairs, IKEA Germany, which you can read here.
This months blogger is Milos Labovic, the author of “EU Superlobby: Winning in Brussels”. Read his interesting perspectives on Public Affairs below.
For how long have your worked in/with Public Affairs, and what drove you in this direction?
It depends a bit on how you see it. I think it all started when I was coordinator for a work council on European Affairs of the Dutch National Youth Council. It was the first time that I had to write a position paper and I delivered it to the European Commission. It was an unpaid job, and everything was really amateurish, but I consider that the moment I somewhat started in Public Affairs.
What is the split between internal and external meetings for you?
I would say 30% internal meetings and 70% external, that would be my ideal, but lately it leans more into the internal meetings.
I think in general you should spend about 20% internally, 20% strategizing and planning, and 60% on execution.
How many external lunches do you have per week?
About 1 or 2. This used to be much more, but I am in my efficient years.
When I started in the profession I was the king of lunches and receptions.
Where do you keep up to date on Public Affairs?
Linkedin is really the go to place. It is amazing how many people share great content. I think of course on your own (Anders Kopp edi.) rapports on Public Affairs, but also Alan Hardacre’s Inside Side of Public Affairs or Aaron Mcloughlins valuable advise. The list is endless and the quality is very high.
So it is really a great ring of people on Linkedin which I keep my eye on.
Name a PA Pro in the industry you respect and why
In the Netherlands it is Jeroen Steusel, who is a seasoned veteran and really knows his stuff. In Brussels I like the works of Aaron Mcloughlin. Whenever I google information about inner workings of the EU, Google directs me to his blogs.
What is your favourite book in relation to Public Affairs, campaigns or politics?
Woef, there are too many. When it comes to Public Affairs I liked Lobbyist by Daniel Guegen and basically anything that comes from the John Harper stable like How to work with the European Institutions. I haven’t found a good book on campaigning yet. In terms of politics I love reading memoirs.
Who do you follow on social media in relation to Public Affairs (if any)?
Aaron Mcloughlin, Anders Kopp, Erik van Venetie, Fabian Bohnenberger, Andras Baneth, Sebastián Rodríguez.
Who would you love to read a guest blog from?
Someone young, who is just starting out in Public Affairs.
What is the biggest challenge for the discipline of Public Affairs? And how do we solve it?
I think making the next quality step. Too much of the work still boils down to sending out positionpapers, organising events and impacting texts. However, we don’t really do anything with data yet. For example have we ever checked open rates when we send positionpapers? Or organize something wildly beyond a panel discussion. I think as a profession we are still a bit stuck.