Our Team

Leadership Team

Alistair Starling

Co-Founder and Managing Director

Alistair Starling

Co-Founder and Managing Director

Alistair Starling is a former UK Diplomat, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, FCO, where he assisted companies to trade and invest internationally for 10 years. He is multilingual, and levers his 20 year private sector / 10 year government sector, Business Development, Design and Innovation experience to achieve results within 1st, 2nd and 3rd sector organisations. Alistair's native language is English, he is also fluent in Italian and German, plus intermediate French. Alistair worked in the founding teams of other start-ups, in the recruitment sector (The Cambridge Hub), internet design sector (IconMedialab), and therefore understands the pace and focus of the commercial sector. Alistair led complex government sales development across Europe and Africa for a world famous brand - Cambridge. He has two Master degrees (one from the University of Cambridge), and an Undergraduate Degree in the creative industries. Alistair is a confident public speaker, has presented numerous times on TV, and fosters active communities of contacts across Europe.

Email:a.starling@european-diplomats.eu

Anton Lammers

Co-Founder

Anton Lammers

Co-Founder

Anton Lammers holds an undergraduate degree in European Politics BA from King's College London and an International Social and Public Policy (Research) MSc from the London School of Economics. His studies have provided him with elaborate insight into the policy machinery of the EU and its member states. He focussed on education policy in Europe and now employs his academic insight for European Diplomats. Anton Lammers has mutlitple years of working experience in the NGO and Edtech and Education Policy sectors, across Europe, working alongside his studies. This way he combines academic expertise and practical working experience for European Diplomats. In London Anton levers the location and his networking abilities to create opportunities and insights for European Diplomats. Along side this, Anton is active volunteer for the Red-Cross and has founded a social initiative tackling educational inequality in his home town. Anton's native language is German and he is fluent in English, speaks Portuguese and basic French.

Email:a.lammers@european-diplomats.eu

Kai Takkis

Operations Manager

Kai Takkis

Operations Manager

Kai is a project manager with working experience both in public and private sector. With her qualification in English Philology, Teacher Training and Translation, she has years of experience in operating and managing her own translation company. Her former employment in the government sector in the field of education has left her with a passion for education, pedagogy, and languages. Combined with her detailed knowledge of private sector operations, she proves to be a valuable addition to the team.

Email:k.takkis@european-diplomats.eu

Daniela Abentung

Co-Founder

Daniela Abentung

Co-Founder

Daniela is a trained journalist and a political and communication scientist with a focus on international communication and EU affairs. During her 20 years' professional experience she has been diving deep into the miracles and wonders of political environments. She has a strong international network in politics and journalism, in Brussels but also in Germany, Italy and the Middle East, from previous positions. In her government and stakeholder relations / communication roles for ifo Institute, Allianz SE Europe, Bavarian State Parliament and the European Commission (DG International Cooperation and Development/Joint Research Centre (JRC)), she has developed a strong understanding of outreach communication (internal/external), international change communication, EU affairs, regulatory monitoring and real-life policy-making procedures. Her focus lies on science, international cooperation and development and financial affairs. Daniela has a big appetite for agile and innovative solutions. Her customer orientation and stakeholder rapport building skills are outstanding. She has a Master degree in European Studies from the University of Bologna and loves complex, international environments. Daniela's native language is German and she is also fluent in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch - and Eurospeak. Apart from being an excellent writer, she's a confident public speaker and has physically and virtually addressed a variety of audiences.

Email:d.abentung@european-diplomats.eu

Michal Gawryl

Co-Founder

Michal Gawryl

Co-Founder

Michal Gawryl is qualified in Business Administration with a focus on marketing, planning and innovation management. In his first professional role he worked as Headhunter. Because of this, Michal is well versed in personal and cold calling, as well as negotiating, network building, the care of existing customers and supporting of projects. He knows how to identify the relevant contacts and how contact should be implemented. In his other professional positions, he worked as a Recruiter in the private and public sectors. This means that Michal fully comprehends the inner workings of governments from his first-hand experience and is able to lever that for our clients. Michal speaks German and Polish as native languages and is fluent in English, plus is building up his French language skills. Organisational complexity and the management of multifaceted projects are core competences which Michal also possesses.

Email:m.grawyl@european-diplomats.eu

Associates

Marina Sgorbati

Associate

Marina Sgorbati

Associate

Marina is an experienced copywriter, text writer and journalist. As a journalist, among others, she managed “Giochi”, a publication for first-level teachers by Editrice Giochi a leading Italian company that produces table games for children and adults. With more than 10 years of experience in managing a call centre for quantitative and qualitative market research, she has outstanding skills when it comes to data collection and analysis. Combining research, language and management skills Marina is an important asset to the team.

Léa Bothorel

Associate

Léa Bothorel

Associate

Léa is French, has lived in the UK for the last six years, and speaks French and English fluently. She holds an undergraduate degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Warwick. She recently completed her MSc in Global Prosperity from University College London’s Institute for Global Prosperity. During her studies, she focused on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches with a particular interest in feminism, ethics, participatory designs, and deliberative democracy. She furthered those interests by interviewing participants of the permanent citizen dialogue of the German-speaking community of Belgium in the context of her master’s dissertation. UCL also sponsored her to participate in a workshop organised by CatalyticAction in Lebanon, which focused on the built environment’s impact on gender inequality.

Email:leabothorel@free.fr

Dirk Bornschein

Associate

Dirk Bornschein

Associate

Dirk is a political scientist, author, editor of regional publications and communication expert. After his Doctorate Degree, he worked in Guatemala at the Latin American Faculty for Social Science (FLACSO), an inter-governmental institute operating in most countries of the region. Throughout these 10 years Dirk did research on migration and development and facilitated relationship-building between academic institutes, government institutions and civil society organisations, especially in Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, the United States and the broader Latin American region. Furthermore, he worked as a consultant for the Japanese Cooperation in Guatemala and currently advises FLASCO in the development of the “Migration and Development” programme. Dirk’s regional expertise, communication experience and strong analytical skills make him an invaluable addition to the team.

Carol Scandolara

Associate

Carol Scandolara

Associate

Meet our Consortium Facilitator: A skilled and dedicated professional who brings harmony and effectiveness to collaborative efforts. With their exceptional communication and organization skills, they ensure seamless coordination, encourage active participation, and drive meaningful outcomes. Trust this experienced facilitator to guide your consortium towards success on the day.

Anna Pagani

Associate

Anna Pagani

Associate

Anna holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science by the University of Mannheim and studied one semester at LUISS University in Rome. During her studies, she focused on international relations and peace research. Anna gained experiences in the development sector while working for the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). Anna’s native language is German, she is fluent in English, has a good proficiency in Italian and is currently improving her French.

Email:a.pagani@european-diplomats.eu

Policy Researchers

Aulona Krasniqi

Policy Researcher

Aulona Krasniqi

Policy Researcher

Meet Aulona Krasniqi, our talented intern with a background in Business and Diplomacy. As a former Project and Communication Officer at D&D Business Support Center LLC, she excelled in coordinating projects, compiling reports, and communicating with clients. She earned a First-Class Bachelor's degree in Business and Diplomacy from The University of Buckingham at the International Business School. Currently, she is enriching her expertise by pursuing an MA Program in International Relations and Cultural Diplomacy at The Furtwangen University - ICD - Academy for Cultural Diplomacy. With her remarkable work ethic, diplomatic skills, and critical thinking prowess, Aulona embodies a valuable asset to our team.

Email:a.krasniqi@european-diplomats.eu

Alice Bloom

Policy Researcher

Alice Bloom

Policy Researcher

Alice recently graduated from Durham University, receiving a Bachelor's degree in Modern Languages and Cultures (French and Russian). She has experience in working abroad, having worked as an Editorial Assistant at a language school in Saint Petersburg, and as an intern in the Valuation & Advisory Department in Knight Frank's Paris office. Alice's native language is English and is business proficient in French and Russian. She is now using her language skills to teach English to foreign business workers, alongside her services as a Policy Researcher for European Diplomats.

Email:a.bloom@european-diplomats.eu

Nedim Osmanagic

Policy Researcher

Nedim Osmanagic

Policy Researcher

Currently pursuing an MA in British Studies at Humboldt University of Berlin, Nedim seeks to expand his knowledge about the UK in an interdisciplinary manner, connecting politics, economics, and media. In his previous professional experience at a commercial media group, he performed the duties of a Business Development Officer, a role he will build as a Policy Researcher at European Diplomats.

Email:n.osmanagic@european-diplomats.eu

Mari Ninashvili

Policy Researcher

Mari Ninashvili

Policy Researcher

Mari is in her fourth year of a bachelor’s in European studies. During her studies, Mari completed an exchange year in South Korea, studying Political Science more closely with peacekeeping, diplomacy, and contemporary politics as the main focus. She has knowledge of Policy research and analysis. She is eager to gain insight into EU policies and further deepen her research skills. Mari’s native language is Georgian, but she speaks fluent Dutch, English, and Russian and is currently working on improving her Spanish and Korean.

Email:m.ninashvili@european-diplomats.eu