Tomas Babicky

Senior Association Manager

Tomas works as European Affairs Manager at European Rental Association (ERA). Tomas is responsible for the public affairs activities of ERA and for its projects related to sustainability, circular economy and digitalisation.

Tomas also works as the EU Regulatory Affairs Manager at the International Association on Lighting Designers (IALD) and is involved in the EU advocacy of several clients in the chemicals sector.

Prior to joining Kellen, Tomas worked as a diplomat at the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the European Union, focusing on EU trade policy. Before that he worked as an EU policies specialist at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Czech Republic in Prague.

Tomas holds a Master´s degree in International Relations and European Studies from Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic and a postgraduate certificate in International Trade and Investment from Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Tomas speaks English, Czech, French and some German.

Carole Bachmann

Senior Association Manager

Carole Bachmann is a senior consultant at Kellen, predominantly serving the European Rental Association (ERA), the representative association of the European equipment rental industry, based in Brussels.

Spanning a career of more than 25 years, her experience in the construction equipment and building systems industry includes her role as managing director, Europe for the rental software company, Wynne Systems, as director in charge of IT, Quality and Safety and M&A in the European rental company, Loxam, and as an internal auditor with Bull and in financial services/consulting at Arthur Andersen.

Carole also manages the financial services and administration of IAMA, the Independent Aircraft Modifier Alliance, an association created in 2020 and based in Hamburg (Germany). Carole graduated from ESSEC Business School in France.

Marco Baldoli

Senior Association Manager

Marco has extensive experience in association management. While his core expertise is in the field of European Regulation and Public Affairs, he works as a bridge-builder between different environments, sharing complicated legal knowledge with different audiences in an understandable manner. Marco knows how to monitor policies and how to craft strategies for associations in order to make change happen, ensure membership growth and increased awareness of specific topics. After several of years in Brussels, he has built a unique contact base across different sectors and policy areas in Brussels and beyond.

Marco serves as Secretary General for FERM, the European Federation of Rice Millers, as Secretary General for TomatoEurope, which represents the tomato processing industry in the EU and as Executive Director of APEP, the European Potash Producers Association.

Marco holds a Master’s degree in Law (L.L.M.) from La Sapienza University of Rome. Before working for Kellen, he worked as a legal consultant both in Rome and London before moving to Brussels in 2015 to work for FoodDrinkEurope.

Céline Benini

Senior Association Manager

Céline has a strong experience within industry associations. Prior joining Kellen, Céline worked for a European food sector association where she was responsible for scientific and regulatory affairs in the food law, animal feed law and agronomy areas, specializing in scientific & technical issues, data gathering and advocacy. 

At Kellen, Céline serves as Secretary General for the Association of Manufacturers and Formulators of Enzyme Products (AMFEP).  

Céline is a bioengineer and holds a PhD in bioengineering and agronomy from Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech Liège University. Céline ‎specialised in plant genetics, chemical analysis and statistics.  

Céline is a Belgian national and speaks French, English and Italian. 

Marian Brestovansky

Senior Association Manager

Marian is a Senior Association Manager at Kellen and has over seven years of experience in both the public and private sectors. Marian has expertise specifically in the management of industry associations and in European and international affairs.

Marian worked for various international and European associations and contributed with his knowledge to deliver on their strategic goals and objectives. Marian engages with the European Commission, European Parliament and Codex Alimentarius with a clear aim of contributing to legislative procedures and standard setting.

At Kellen, Marian currently leads the European Salmon Smokers Association and provides regulatory and policy expertise to European Salt Producers and the International Flight Services Association.

Marian holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and EU Affairs from Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.

Carl-Eric Portaels

Senior Association Manager

Carl-Eric Portaels has solid experience within European policy work and industry associations. Before joining Kellen, Carl-Eric ‎worked for associations representing the lighting industry and the plastics PET sector. He mostly works with topics linked to sustainability and more specifically related to the Green Deal. Carl-Eric’s last position was at the Minderoo Foundation. This gave him an in-depth understanding of how NGOs work.

At Kellen, Carl-Eric works as the European Affairs Manager for the European Portable Batteries Association and as the coordinator for the Flexible Plastics Alliance. Carl-Eric also oversees the policy and advocacy work for Tomato Europe.

Carl-Eric holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from Vesalius College in Brussels and a Master’s in International Affairs from the Graduate Institute in Geneva. Finally, Carl-Eric specialised in EU external relations with a master’s degree in EU Diplomacy from the College of Europe.

Carl-Eric is a Belgian national and speaks French, Dutch and English.

Giorgio Corbetta

Senior Association Manager

Giorgio has been active for more than ten years in the Brussels energy, climate and transport sectors. Giorgio ‎has worked across trade associations in the cleantech space, energy trading businesses, and as a consultant representing companies along the energy value chain.

At Kellen, Giorgio ‎works as the EU Affairs Director for EUROBAT – Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers. Giorgio also supports the Kellen Brussels office in the development of corporate activities related to business strategy and competitive positioning.

Giorgio graduated in Economics and Political Science from Università degli Studi di Milano and obtained his MBA in Brussels from Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management.

Nele Devolder

Vice President

Nele Devolder is Vice President of Kellen in Brussels. She has been working for Kellen for more than 20 years, is specialised in marketing and communications, and has extensive experience in the creation, set-up and management of European and global platforms, trade associations and alliances. Nele is highly involved in strategic advice on different projects and consultations for trade associations and professional societies at global level.

Nele serves as Executive Director of ECMA, the European Candle Manufacturers Association, which is the main European industry association for the candle industry, and as Secretary General for EASEE-gas, an association representing the streamlining of energy exchange in the European gas market. 

As Vice President, Nele leads the Association Management Cluster in Brussels, which includes the supervision of teams serving over 15 different trade associations and professional societies active in a variety of industries and sectors. 

Nele studied Communications at the EGON Hogeschool in Ghent, Belgium. She is a Belgian national and speaks Dutch (mother tongue), English, French and German. 

Pascale Lammineur

Finance Director

Pascale Lammineur is the Finance Director at Kellen. Pascale is responsible for all financial matters related to Kellen and our clients. Pascale is also responsible for leading the Finance Team in Brussels and together with her team she ensures working towards achieving the strategic goals for our clients and Kellen.

Pascale joined Kellen back in 2009 as a Senior Accountant. Pascale holds a Master’s degree in Commercial and Maritime Sciences from Lessius Antwerp and an Executive Master in Controlling from Vlerick Business School.

Before joining Kellen, Pascale worked for KBC and for a family owned company in Belgium.

Huw Longton

Senior Communications Manager

Huw is a Senior Communications Manager and has been working at Kellen since 2019. He has strong expertise in strategic communications, with experience in all aspects of internal and external communications.

At Kellen, Huw works as Senior Communications Manager for the European Rental Association (ERA) and EUROBAT, the Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers, and is Strategic Communications Manager for the Association of Manufacturers and Formulators of Enzyme Products (AMFEP).

Huw has a BA in Journalism and Contemporary History and an MSc in Public Policy from the University of London. His previous experience also includes research, media analysis, training services, event organisation, EU affairs, EU funding and journalism.

Sofie Cabeceiro Luiz

HR Director

Sofie Cabeceiro Luiz is the HR Director and an active member of the Leadership Team. ‎Sofie has more than 20 years of experience in the HR field and is involved in defining and delivering on the ‎strategic objectives directly linked with people’s ‎growth. Sofie ensures that Kellen finds the right candidates who both fit the Kellen values and help clients to meet their objectives and goals.  

At Kellen, Sofie is responsible for both the Kellen consultants as well as the ‎internal staff. This includes recruitment, onboarding, engagement, ‎learning and development, compensation and benefits and stakeholder ‎management. Sofie ensures diversity across many levels and is a trusted Leader amongst the whole team.

Before joining Kellen, Sofie worked for Accenture as an HR Business Partner.  

Sofie holds a Master’s Degree in Translation in Dutch, English and Portuguese and additionally, Sofie is a Gallup certified strength coach, trained in HR management from Cornell ‎University and Accenture. 

Françoise Maon

Senior Association Manager

Since 2000, Françoise has worked for Kellen with a series of different clients across different sectors. Françoise is specialised in managing European trade associations and international professional societies. 

Françoise currently ‎works for the Pan European Region of the International Association of Dental Research (PER-IADR) and the Society of Fire Engineers Europe (SFPE Europe). For both clients, Françoise ‎serves as the European Office Manager. Françoise ‎works for the Switching and Porting Association (SWIPO), the Polyurea Development Association Europe (PDA Europe) and CO2 Value Europe for which she serves as Manager.  

Since the new Belgian Code on Companies and Associations entered into force in 2019, Françoise helped several international associations registered in Belgium to align their statutes with the new law. Françoise ‎is also highly experienced in AISBLs’ incorporations and financial management, including financial policy and administration. 

Françoise has a Master’s Degree in translation of the English and Italian languages into French from the Institut supérieur des traducteurs et interprètes (ISTI), and in Marketing Management from the Institut catholique des hautes études commerciales (ICHEC).  

Françoise is Belgian and has French as her mother tongue, is fluent in English, Italian and has a good knowledge of Dutch. 

Gert Meylemans

Communications Director

Gert Meylemans is the Communications Director at Kellen and it is his role to lead the Communications Team in Brussels whilst being a part of the Brussels’ management team‎.

Gert’s main client is EUROBAT – the Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers. For EUROBAT, Gert’s role is to strategically communicate key messages to the relevant channels and ensure that EUROBAT’s voice is being heard in the Brussels arena, across Europe and beyond.

Gert is a highly experienced communications executive with experience in branding, positioning, social media and all aspects of both internal and external communications. Within Kellen, Gert also leads the Kellen Corporate Communications activities and the Communication Team consisting of four Communication Professionals working for clients from the energy and food sector.

Gert holds a degree in Marketing and Communications and has over 30 years expertise. He has international experience in automotive PR and corporate communications. Gert previously worked at Nissan Belux, Bridgestone EMEA and as a freelance communications consultant.

Nuria Moreno

Senior Association Manager

Nuria brings over 7 years’ experience in association management for a variety of global and European food industry associations. Currently, Nuria acts as the Secretary-General of the European Vegetable Protein Association (EUVEPRO) and the European Potato Processors’ Association (EUPPA). Her expertise ranges from regulatory affairs and advocacy on food ingredients, to Codex Alimentarius and ISO standards, as well as agricultural sustainability topics. In addition, she has guided associations through strategic exercises and governance changes.

Nuria holds a Master’s degree in European Public Affairs from Maastricht University (The Netherlands) and completed an Erasmus programme at the Institute d’Etudes Politiques de Grenoble (France), with a focus on EU decision-making and interest representation.

Adriana Nosewicz

Association Director

Adriana has spent almost 15 years working with European associations. Adriana is a lawyer by training and she has worked for a series of food association including European Potato Processors Association, International Stevia Council and Soft Drinks Europe.

Adriana is leads the Food Cluster in Brussels and supports colleagues in strategic direction of the associations they manage at Kellen.

Adriana also works as the Managing Director of the European Salt Producers’ Association and manages two smaller associations, one European and one international.

Adriana is fluent in Polish, English, Italian, has good knowledge of French and a basic understanding of Dutch.

Jakub Rusek

Senior Association Manager

Jakub holds a PhD in Biology from the University of Munich (LMU) and a Post-Graduate Master in European Studies. Jakub worked in several EU affairs organisations as well as the European Parliament and the European Commission on technical and science topics directly related to food and the environment. Prior to joining Kellen, Jakub was working in a sectorial association dealing with nutrition, analytics, additives, contaminants and raw materials.

At Kellen, Jakub serves as Secretary General of the European Food and Fermentation Cultures Association (EFFCA) and provides regulatory and scientific support for the Association of Manufacturers and Formulators of Enzyme Products (AMFEP), the European Federation of Rice Millers (FERM) and the International Cellulosics Association (ICA).

Pau Sanchis Matoses

Senior Association Manager

Pau Sanchis Matoses works as a Senior Association Manager and has been working for Kellen since 2020. Pau has strong expertise in energy policy related matters and European legislation and processes. He has a broad network on both a European and national level with political stakeholders and the private sector.

At Kellen, Pau works as Senior Policy Manager for EUROBAT – The Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers, as Executive Director for VIPA International – The Vacuum Insulation Panel Association, and as Consultant for Methanol Institute.

Ahead of joining Kellen, Pau did a traineeship at the Cabinet of the Vice-President on Energy Union of the European ‎Commission‎ and worked as a Policy Advisor and Project Assistant for Phrenos.

Pau is a graduate of Philosophy, Political Science, and Public Administration from the University of Valencia. He completed a Master’s Degree in EU Politics and Governance at the College of Europe in Bruges.

Maria Teresa Scardigli

Executive Vice President & Managing Director

Since 2022, Maria Teresa Scardigli has been the Managing Director for the European Operations of the Kellen office in Brussels.

Maria Teresa leads the strategic direction of Kellen on a European level and supervises more than 45 professionals servicing around 35 trade associations and professional societies on both European and international levels.

Maria Teresa ‎has strong knowledge and expertise in the food sector with more than 20 years of experience in European public affairs, interest representation and strategic management of trade associations. Maria Teresa provides strategic advice to European trade associations on topics such as governance, strategic planning, association reorganisation, membership fees restructuring and mergers of associations. She also helps associations to be incorporated under Belgian Law. She acts – amongst others – as the Executive Director of the International Stevia Council, the trade association representing the interests of the stevia industry on a global level.

Maria Teresa Scardigli graduated from the University of Rome with a Law Degree and received a Post-Master’s degree in European and Community Law from the European University Center of the University of Nancy in France.

René Schroeder

Senior Association Manager

René has over 15 years of experience in EU regulatory affairs. He is the Executive Director of ‎EUROBAT, the Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers. He works ‎with leading European and global companies on the positioning of the battery manufacturing ‎industry and its contribution towards the decarbonisation of the mobility and energy sectors.‎

His expertise centers around policymakers with experience as a policy officer with the European ‎Waste Management Federation FEAD, between 2007 and 2013, and with the European Chemicals ‎Federation (Cefic), the European Parliament, Siemens, and the E.U. delegation in Washington, D.C.‎

René holds a postgraduate Master’s degree in European studies from the College of Europe as well ‎as a Master’s in Political Science from the University of Rostock.‎

Katarina Sipic

Senior Association Manager

Katarina Sipic works as a Senior Association Manager and have more than 12 years of international experience from the public and private sector. Katarina’s key skills are in governance, maritime and fisheries policy and blue economy.

At Kellen, Katarina leads the European Association of Fish Processors and Traders and supports the team of European Association of Potatoe Processors. Katarina engages with the European Commission, the European Parliament & Council with a clear aim of contributing to legislative procedures.

Before joining Kellen, Katarina worked as a Member State Regional Government Representative in Brussels. After that experience Katarina got into the world of associations and worked as a Representative of the Spanish National Association of Fish Processors and Traders with headquarters in Vigo, Spain.

Katarina studied Cultural and Linguistic Mediation at La Sapienza University in Rome, Italy.

Stefan Thomann

Senior Association Manager

Stefan Thomann is a Senior Association Manager at Kellen, with 15 years of experience in managing national, European and international associations. Stefan has a strong passion for science and technology which helps him to understand very technical products and context in the associations he works for. Stefan is also the convenor of a CEN standardisation committee.

Stefan serves as Technical Director for ECMA, the European Candle Manufacturers Association, as Secretary General for the European Certification Board for Mineral Wool Products (EUCEB), as General Manager for Association Euro-Qualiflex (AEQ) and as Managing Director for the RAL Quality Association for Phase Change Materials (Gütegemeinschaft PCM).

Prior to joining Kellen, Stefan worked for an Association Management Company in Germany and before that, he worked as the Lab Manager of an independent testing organisation.

Stefan holds a state examination degree in Food Chemistry from Hohenheim University (Germany).

Alfons Westgeest

Board Member

As of 2022, Alfons Westgeest is Kellen’s Board member for global development, and Maria Teresa Scardigli is the Managing Director for the European operations from our office in Brussels, Belgium.

Alfons supervises Kellen’s Beijing office, which has recently expanded to serve multiple international associations in China. He is also responsible for Kellen’s strategic affiliates in Asia, the Middle East, and South America.

Alfons has expertise in various sectors including automotive, engineering, electronics, food, health care, construction, and financial services.

A graduate of Leyden University in the Netherlands, he holds a Master’s degree in Commercial and European law and was previously a partner at EY. He is co-moderator of the European Government Affairs Roundtable and teaches international lobbying at the Free University of Brussels (VUB)

Alfons is a former Board member of ASAE (American Society of Association Executives) and ASAE Fellow since 2006. In addition, he received the 2011 ‘Outstanding Contribution to EU Public Affairs’ award.