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.

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.

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

Policy Researchers

Kim Hirsch-Hoffmann

Policy Researcher

Kim Hirsch-Hoffmann

Policy Researcher

Kim is in her final year of master's in international security at Sciences Po School of International Affairs. After obtaining a bachelor's in political and social sciences at the German-speaking campus Sciences Po's, Kim decided to pursue her studies in international affairs with a focus on mediation and peacebuilding in the African region. With a keen interest in development issues, she completed an exchange at the graduate Institute of Geneva in the field of global health. Kim is French and Swiss, fluent in German, English and French, and has basic proficiency in Spanish.

Email:k.hirsch-hoffmann@european-diplomats.eu

Andrea Montanari

Policy Researcher

Andrea Montanari

Policy Researcher

Andrea is from Italy and is currently pursuing a Double Master’s Degree at Sciences Po Paris and Peking University, in Beijing. Throughout his academic career, he also studied at the Catholic University of Milan and the University of Geneva, with a focus on Diplomacy and International Public Governance. He has a solid background in security and European Affairs and, in parallel to academic studies, he leads the EU research desk for “Orizzonti Politici”, an Italian think tank. His native language is Italian, and he is fluent in English, French and Spanish, and has a basic Chinese proficiency.

Email:a.montanari@european-diplomats.eu

James Mullins-Pressnell

Policy Researcher

James Mullins-Pressnell

Policy Researcher

James is a resolute second year International Politics student with proven leadership. A former skilled Royal Navy applicant, who demonstrates academic excellence at City, University of London. Combining political insight with tech skills from an ICT Diploma, James is eager to contribute to the innovative and fast paced environment at European Diplomats. He brings adaptability, effective communication, and analytical expertise. As well as this James is committed to public service and international relations, with a diverse background around subjects such as Advanced Global Political Theory, Political and Economic data analysis, Security Studies, and Foreign Policy.

Email:k.hirsch-hoffmann@european-diplomats.eu

Lisa Gyamera

Policy Researcher

Lisa Gyamera

Policy Researcher

Lisa  is in her fourth year of bachelor’s in European studies. She has experience in lobbying, policy analysis and policy research. She is eager to gain insight the EU policies and further deepen her researching skills. Lisa’s native languages are English and German. 

Email:l.gyamera@european-diplomats.eu

Giulia Cavallini

Policy Researcher

Giulia Cavallini

Policy Researcher

Giulia is a second-year bachelor’s student at the University of Milan, where she is currently studying International Politics and Economics. Driven by a passion for understanding and addressing social and economic inequalities, she intends to pursue a Master’s degree in the realm of public policy and international affairs to further her knowledge and competence regarding global issues. Giulia's native language is Italian, and she is fluent in English. Additionally, she is actively working on improving her proficiency in Spanish.

Email:g.cavallini@european-diplomats.eu