Belgium
Belgium lies at the economic crossroads of Western Europe and has also become the political hub of Europe with the largest press corps in the world accredited to the EU institutions. Belgium and, more specifically Brussels, is a true powerhouse on the global stage where both the corporate and NGO world realise they have to be actively engaged in defending their Public Relations and Public Affairs strategies.
Situated in the heart of the city’s EU quarter, Grayling Belgium is a fully integrated “no-nonsense” communications consultancy specialising in Public Relations, Public Affairs, Investor Relations and Events.
We offer ideas and solutions tailored to our client needs and ensure that they fully benefit from our expertise, network and contacts. Our multinational office (we work in English, French, Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish, Swedish and even Japanese) employs 30 multilingual specialists with a variety of backgrounds, guaranteeing a broad range of consultancy expertise and industry experience.
Public Affairs
Decisions taken in Brussels not only directly affect the EU’s 500 million citizens across the 27 Member States, but are also increasingly impacting the wider world outside the EU’s borders, from Washington D.C. to Beijing and from Tokyo to Rio de Janeiro.
Laws drawn up in Europe's corridors of power will directly impact a business’s share value, reputation and ability to trade globally, and EU policy and legislation sets the standards in a wide-range of policy areas. With the recent adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, the EU’s powers are expanding in such a way that it is now crucial to lobby both in Brussels and the EU Member States, and with Grayling’s unique European footprint of 40 offices spread throughout the EU we are best placed to serve your needs both at the pan-European and national levels.
Whilst we cover most EU policy and legislative areas, we are a leading consultancy in Environment, Energy and Transport; Food, Agriculture and Fisheries; Trade and Competition; ICT and Digital; Financial Services; Consumer Protection; and Health and Pharmaceuticals.
We offer the full range of services, from monitoring and political intelligence to advocacy and lobbying and can also include additional services to tailor our offer to the individual client’s needs.
Public Relations
In the 21st century traditional communication methods no longer suffice. Public Relations must be innovative in order to constantly evolve to meet new challenges. Communication must be fast-paced, smart, relevant, flexible, and delivered in new and inventive ways. It also must be cost-effective so that the return on investment can be measured. We put our money where our mouth is.
Grayling Belgium is at the forefront of these new challenges. Our specialists deliver communications support relevant for today and ready for tomorrow.
Media relations and media training, social media strategy, corporate and financial communications, marketing communication, crisis communication, investor relations, capital market transactions, internal and change communications, interim communications management and events: we manage perception and your reputation.
At Grayling in Brussels, we have the experience, the expertise and the passion to go beyond our client expectations and our approach, “A different kind of thinking for a different kind of world”, is nowhere truer than here at the heart of Europe.
For more information about our services please visit www.grayling.be
If you are interested in a career at Grayling, please contact talentbrussels@grayling.com
Back to Europe, Middle East & Africa
Patten Russell
CEO, Belgium
Telephone: +32 273 81 783
russell.patten@grayling.com
Russell Patten is CEO of Grayling Belgium and has specialised expertise in EU policies relating to the environmental, energy, transport, as well as agri, food and drinks policies.
A British national, Russell’s career in Brussels spans 20 years, encompassing a wide range of corporations, trade associations and European Institutions. After beginning his career at the European Commission (Telecommunications), Russell joined the law firm, Oppenheimer, Wolff & Donnelly specialising in EU telecoms competition, and trade law.
Russell subsequently moved to a British Public Affairs consultancy, IGA Europe, and in 1995 joined Hill & Knowlton where he ran the Public Affairs department of the Brussels office until his promotion to Vice-President in 2002 responsible for Public Affairs in the EMEA region.
He was secretary-general of the European Express Association from 1994 to 2003, is currently Secretary-General of Transfrigoroute International and was President of the British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium from 2005 to 2007. He is currently Vice President of the EU Committee of the Chamber.
He is a professor at the College of Europe, ISMAPP and the University of Kent and holds a degree in political sciences and languages from the University of Kent, a diploma in French politics from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and a Masters in EU Affairs from the College of Europe in Bruges.
- Brussels

