What drew you to work at OG?
I liked OG’s focus on the gaps in climate action: not shying away from complexity but looking at how different angles of action can come together to address it.
But I was also drawn to the challenge itself. I came in to support the consolidation of OG’s presence in Brussels, where many organisations were already well established. It might sound strange to describe an EU advocacy job as “creative”, but that’s actually a big part of what attracted me: I felt I could be trusted to bring my own ideas, try different approaches to show the added value of our work, and help shape our actions rather than only stepping into an existing (and sometimes no longer questioned) formula.
And one last thing, although perhaps it should have come first! OG felt refreshingly honest. About its values, about wellbeing and, importantly, it seemed willing to put those words into practice. The four-day week, the transparent salaries and the anonymised recruitment process were probably the most striking examples when I applied. That consistency made it easier to trust that what I saw from the outside genuinely reflected the organisation I was about to experience on the inside.
What has changed since you started?
The size of our EU office, for one! When I started, it was basically me sitting at a desk opposite Aurelia (and Aurelia, if you’re reading this: I enjoyed every second of it!). We now have seven colleagues in Brussels, almost all of them in the advocacy team. It’s been such a pleasure to watch the team grow and develop its own dynamic.
On a more personal level, one of the biggest changes has been discovering an entirely new sector. I came from EU maritime affairs, and aviation really opened up a whole new ecosystem that I needed to understand. There was a lot to learn (and quite a few acronyms to survive). And looking back now, I’m really glad I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. Being able to apply my skills across two very different sectors, navigate both worlds and draw parallels between them in EU policy has been an exciting journey.
What are you most proud of being involved in since you joined?
Probably the credibility we’ve built in such a short time. We connected very quickly, and we’re now being approached directly by representatives of the EU Institutions to contribute to their work. I like to think that’s because we’ve brought something constructive to the conversation: a new strategic perspective that the political landscape, with the SASHA Coalition, has needed, and a willingness to engage where we can add real value.
But if I’m being 100% honest, my greatest achievement is definitely convincing my teammates that bingo is, in fact, extremely cool. Ask them!
What inspires you about what you’re working on?
It might sound basic, but there’s something quite powerful about knowing what you’re working towards. I see it as a privilege to make climate action my job, rather than something I can only contribute to or educate myself on in my free time. With extreme weather, biodiversity loss, and the consequences of pollution becoming increasingly tangible and affecting everyone, being able to influence the response makes the work feel concrete and worth doing.
I’m also hugely inspired by my colleagues. It’s very stimulating to be surrounded by people who will go the extra mile, dig into the detail, and look for that strategic angle no one has quite explored yet. There’s constant curiosity and determination to understand where we can make a difference, and being around that energy really lifts the work and what we can achieve together.
What are you looking forward to in the coming year?
First, hopefully, an ambitious outcome for aviation and maritime in the EU ETS!
But I’m also looking forward to what comes next. So many policy files are on the horizon that will shape the future of aviation and maritime, and I’m excited to see how the pieces of the puzzle start to fit together. It’s going to be complex, probably a bit of a maze at times, but that’s also what makes it interesting: finding connections between different policies, spotting opportunities and seeing how developments in the EU interact with what’s happening in the UK.
Many doors are opening, and it feels like a key moment to have a voice at the table and help ensure what comes next matches the climate ambition we need.
