European Public Affairs Conference (PACE)

APRI, in collaboration with PACE (Public Affairs Community of Europe), the European network that brings together the main national Public Affairs associations of Europe, will hold the European Public Affairs Conference on May 21st. This particularly relevant event for the Public Affairs sector, will take place at the Spanish Senate in Madrid, from 10:30 to 13:45, within the framework of the PACE Annual Meeting 2026.

The conference will bring together professionals and representatives from the Public Affairs field to discuss the main trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the evolution of the sector across Europe.

The event will be conducted in English.

Programme

• Opening remarks by institutional representatives
• Senate of Spain Representative, Carlos Parry, President of APRI and Laura Florea, President of PACE

• Update on Lobbying Regulation across Europe
• Moderated by María Rosa Rotondo, Honorary President of PACE

• New Public Affairs Professional Horizons in AI
  Cyrille Mai Thanh, Managing Director Europe at Spaak Technologies, interviewed by Irene Matías, Vicepresident of APRI

• Key Findings from the Overview of the Public Affairs Sector in Spain
• Natalia Rodríguez, Professor at the University of Navarra
  Ángel Arrese, Professor at the University of Navarra

• Stakeholders’ Insights: Generational Change and Challenges for Public Affairs Professionals
  Luis Bouza, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Law at the Autonomous University of Madrid
  María Benito, Research Talent Lead at Sarah Marlex
• David Córdova, Editor-In-Chief of Democrata
• Moderated by Juan Herrero, APRI representative at PACE

• The Current Geopolitical and Economic Context in Europe
  Charles Powell, Director of the Real Instituto Elcano, introducted by Jorge Aliende, Managing Director of APRI

• Closing Remarks
  Laura Florea, President of PACE