About

Paul Adamson is the founder and publisher of Encompass an online magazine and discussion space dedicated to covering the European Union and its place in the world. Since 2015 he has hosted the ‘In Conversation With’ podcast. He is also chairman of Forum Europe and Forum Global and is the founder and chairman of the EU-UK Forum.

Paul is a member of the Centre for European Reform’s advisory board, a Senior Adviser at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center and a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Britain and Europe at the University of Surrey. He is a patron of the University Association of Contemporary European Studies (UACES) and a Fellow of the UK Academy of Social Sciences.

In 2012, Paul was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) “for services to promoting understanding of the European Union” and in 2016 he was made a Chevalier in the Ordre national du Mérite by the French government.

Gideon Skinner is Senior Director of UK Politics in Public Affairs at Ipsos where he has worked since 1997. He previously led on their research into cross-cutting issues that face all public services, such as public service reform, trust, and research into many political and social trends. As Head of Political Research, Gideon has also been involved in our coverage and analysis of every general election since 1997  including appearing on CNN as the results of the 2024 general election were announced. Gideon contributes to many of our published thought leadership reports, including our Understanding Society publication, our regular Global Advisor international polling series, and is part of the Ipsos Thinks team.

He has presented data to many interested audiences and conferences both in the UK and overseas, to Cabinet Ministers, senior civil servants, business people, and students and schoolchildren, as well as appearing on TV, radio and podcasts to discuss public opinion on current affairs.

Lindsay Appleby has been the UK’s Ambassador to the European Union since January 2021. Lindsay joined the (then) Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1996. Prior to his current role, Lindsay was the UK’s Deputy Chief Negotiator in the No. 10 Downing Street Europe Task Force during the negotiations of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. He has also worked as the Director General for EU Exit in the FCO (2017 to 2020), Director Europe (2015 to 2017), Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Colombia (2012 to 2015), and Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary (2010 to 2012).

Paul Adamson is the founder and publisher of Encompass an online magazine and discussion space dedicated to covering the European Union and its place in the world. Since 2015 he has hosted the ‘In Conversation With’ podcast. He is also chairman of Forum Europe and Forum Global and is the founder and chairman of the EU-UK Forum.

Paul is a member of the Centre for European Reform’s advisory board, a Senior Adviser at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center and a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Britain and Europe at the University of Surrey. He is a patron of the University Association of Contemporary European Studies (UACES) and a Fellow of the UK Academy of Social Sciences.

In 2012, Paul was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) “for services to promoting understanding of the European Union” and in 2016 he was made a Chevalier in the Ordre national du Mérite by the French government.

Ian Johnston covers European energy, industrial and climate policy for the Financial Times in Brussels. He was previously a correspondent in Paris, covering French businesses and politics, and he has also worked as a pharmaceutical correspondent in London. He joined the FT in 2021.

Nick Collier joined the City of London Corporation as its new Managing Director of the Brussels office in March 2019. He was previously Global Head of Government Relations at Refinitiv (Thomson Reuters) and before that worked at a range of organisations in the financial services sector, including Morgan Stanley and the Bank of England and, until recently, served as Chair of TheCityUK’s Public Affairs Group as well as Deputy Chair of the International Regulatory Strategy Group. Nick is chair of diplomatic engagement at the International Business and Diplomatic Exchange.

Jakub Wojnarowski is a senior executive and current Head of ACCA Western & Central Europe, overseeing strategy across 16 countries. With a background in sociology and political science, he brings over 20 years of experience, including roles as Strategic Advisor to the Prime Minister of Poland and Deputy Director of the Lewiatan employers’ organization. An expert in negotiations and human capital, he has represented national business interests at BUSINESSEUROPE and served on MetLife Poland supervisory board. He is also an author and co-author of strategic publications, such as Poland 2030: Developmental Challenges.

Julian King was the last UK EU Commissioner (2016-19), responsible for the Security Union in Jean-Claude Juncker’s Commission.

Sir Julian King is a Senior Advisor at Flint Global, Fellow of RUSI and the Oxford Internet Institute. He was the last British European Commissioner, serving as EU Commissioner for the Security Union from 2016-2019, with responsibility for counter terrorism, cyber security, tackling hybrid threats, disinformation, and securing critical digital infrastructure. He joined the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in 1985. He has held various positions, including: UK Ambassador to France (2016); Director General Economic & Consular (2014); DG of the Northern Ireland Office London and Belfast (2011); UK Ambassador to Ireland (2009); EU Commission Chef de Cabinet to Commissioner for Trade (2008); UK Representative on EU Political and Security Committee, (2004).

Catriona Mace took up her role as Foreign and Development Policy Director at the UK Mission to the European Union in August 2022.

Before that, Catriona was Deputy Director Corporate Transformation in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (2021 to 2022) and Deputy Director Negotiations and Readiness Co-ordination in Europe Directorate at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (2019 to 2020).

Catriona has held a number of posts at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). She was Head of the Africa Team at the UK Mission to the UN in New York (2010 to 2013), having previously led the FCO Africa Strategy Unit. Catriona also served at the UK Representation to the European Union in 2004 to 2007.

Catriona joined the FCO after working in the Office of the High Representative in Sarajevo.

She is married to Colm; they have 2 school-age children, one of whom has a disability.

Henry Foy is the FT’s Brussels Bureau Chief, leading coverage of EU affairs and managing a team of correspondents reporting on European politics and policy. Henry is also the lead writer of Europe Express, the FT’s agenda-setting weekday newsletter on European affairs. Previously he was Moscow Bureau Chief, where he interviewed president Vladimir Putin and charted his regime’s descent into repression. He has also been posted in Warsaw and London. Henry joined the FT in 2013 from Reuters, where he was a correspondent in India.

Barry Andrews is a Member of the European Parliament representing the Dublin constituency and sits with the Renew Europe group. He serves as the Chair of the Committee on Development and, through his work on the Delegation to the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, is a consistent advocate for stronger EU-UK cooperation. He is prominent voice on UK affairs, particularly those relating to Northern Ireland, as well as issues concerning energy, defence and international development.

Before his election to the European Parliament, Barry served as Minister of State for Children from 2008 to 2011. He subsequently became CEO of the international development NGO GOAL in 2012, before being appointed Director-General of the Institute of International and European Affairs in 2017. Elected to the European Parliament in 2019, he took his seat in January 2020 following the United Kingdom’s departure from the EU.

Paul Adamson is the founder and publisher of Encompass an online magazine and discussion space dedicated to covering the European Union and its place in the world. Since 2015 he has hosted the ‘In Conversation With’ podcast. He is also chairman of Forum Europe and Forum Global and is the founder and chairman of the EU-UK Forum.

Paul is a member of the Centre for European Reform’s advisory board, a Senior Adviser at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center and a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Britain and Europe at the University of Surrey. He is a patron of the University Association of Contemporary European Studies (UACES) and a Fellow of the UK Academy of Social Sciences.

In 2012, Paul was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) “for services to promoting understanding of the European Union” and in 2016 he was made a Chevalier in the Ordre national du Mérite by the French government.