I’ve been in the think tank industry for 10 years now (wow! how time flies when you are being blindsided by one political crisis after the other!).
I remember when I was still a university student being in a class on entrepreneurship which I’d signed up to because all the other economics modules had already filled up.
The professor asked: “Who among you would like to start their own business one day? ”. Literally every hand in the room shot up.
As I looked around I started to feel a bit uneasy at the sight of my own two hands resting decidedly on my lap. I didn’t know much of what I wanted to do with my life at the time, but I did know I wanted to be a part of something bigger than just myself, ideally the bigger the better, something with the potential to have a real impact on society.
So, I left the entrepreneurial class having had a bit of fun and created a bizzarre new core memory and proceeded to land my first internship at the United Nations headquarters in New York (shout out to my fabulous bosses back then Zak Bleicher and Tomàs Gonzalez!).
As the years went by, I worked in four different countries and had the luxury to collaborate and learn from some of the best European policy thinkers in our sector. My experience taught me so much about the think tank world and the political sector as a whole. It also taught me that sometimes to make your contribution and honour the impact you wish to have in the world, you need to find what is right for you and that it may mean you need to make your own way.
So, as of this January, I am stepping into the shoes of Co-founder and Executive Director of the APROPOS Group.
Who are we?
The APROPOS Group is a politically neutral think tank that operates in the field of democratic innovation, specializing in the development and implementation of process design methods for the political sphere.
We are a collective of practitioners and policy thinkers, largely operating out of Berlin and Rome. We are process designers, facilitators, political dialogue conveners, and policy analysts.
We strive for better communication and collaboration in the political field (and beyond!). Our work focuses on the development and deployment of fit-for-purpose tools and approaches that are designed to deliver more impactful, collaborative and constructive political exchanges.
3 things you should know about the APROPOS Group
Built on the foundation of 7+ years of experience pioneering innovative political dialogue spaces - The APROPOS Group builds on the successes of the Open European Dialogue (OED) in pioneering new approaches to political dialogue. Thanks to a merger of the Open European Dialogue team with that of process experts at Apropos International, the APROPOS Group is born. Our ambition? To take the tried and tested methods developed at the OED and develop them to their full potential.
A policy neutral think tank that focuses on the how of politics - We believe that the processes that regulate our democratic institutions need an upgrade. We believe in the impact that process design can have on improving political communication and cooperation, because we’ve seen the results first hand. Beyond partisanship and across policy sectors, we aspire to put our process design tools at the service of the political and non-profit sector (and beyond!), because a better way of working together is possible.
The shoulders we stand on - It is thanks to the support and trust of our closest allies and partners that the reality of the APROPOS Group is possible today.
First and foremost the original team at Apropos International: Peter Woodward, who first introduced us to process design and inspired us with his dedication to the art of facilitating “a different kind of conversation”, Mia Forbes Pirie, Independent Mediator of the Year UK whose empathetic style of facilitation helped us navigate delicate political conversations and Caspar Kolster, trailblazer process designer and courageous critical thinker.
Our partners and funders who supported us throughout this journey: Stiftung Mercator, King Baudouin Foundation, Robert Bosch Foundation, German Marshall Fund of the United States, Istituto Affari Internazionali, CIDOB - Barcelona Centre for International Affairs, ELIAMEP - Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Affairs. A special mention has to go to Verena Ringler for the crucial impetus provided in the ideation phase, without which the OED would not have ever seen the light.
And, last but definitely not least, it is thanks to the efforts and determination of a team of passionate individuals who have supported us over the years, that the APROPOS Group sees the light today. Thank you to each of you - and a very special thanks to Isotta Ricci Bitti, our Managing Director.
What’s left to say, if not that I am beyond excited to be embarking on this new journey with the wonderful team at the APROPOS Group, and begin to design and promote our very own brand of change.
We need to talk!
Whether you are curious to learn more about the APROPOS Group, our mission, values and methods, or you’re looking to achieve greater impact in your work through process design tools and would like to know if we can help... If you’d like to get to know us more, we’d love to meet with you. Coffee is on us.