Dirk Hudig is well plugged into the labyrinthine power matrix of Brussels, after decades of experience in the European political capital. With a network of offices spanning 34 countries across continental Europe, Hudig’s public policy and regulatory advice consultancy deals with most major European issues affecting corporates, from competition policy to state aid.
He says: "I know how the Community works - how the Parliament and European Commission tick. We deal with most of the Directorates, so I know the people involved."
Born in the Hague, Holland, in 1943, Hudig was brought up in South Africa and Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia), attending Churchill School in Salisbury. After studying English at university he embarked on a mammoth, 18-month tour of Africa and the Middle East, before going to art school in Holland. He then taught English in London and Saudi Arabia on behalf of the British Council, doing a lot of deep-sea diving in his spare time.
Hudig then returned to Holland, where he joined an advertising agency, before finally dropping anchor in 1972 after joining ICI, the chemicals conglomerate, where he was to spend the next 28 years. He enjoyed a variety of roles, including that of Head of European Public Relations in Brussels, and he eventually became Head of ICI in Belgium. "There was a lot of work liaising with the Government on environmental and compliance issues," he says.
Hudig eventually left ICI in the Nineties to become Secretary General of UNICE - the European equivalent of the CBI and a social partner of the European Union.
"I was already very active within the group, and my predecessor convinced me that it was a good cause," says Hudig. "But it was pretty challenging dealing with the cultural differences of the 34 members, including the associate members from the Eastern Bloc. There was a lot of banging heads together!"
After three years at UNICE, Hudig began working with oil giant BP in London, advising it on European affairs. He then consulted for Bell Pottinger from 1994 onwards. He is currently a partner of FIPRA International, advising companies on a range of issues, from internet security to taxation, environmental policy to intellectual rights issues.
For Sans Frontières, Hudig is now "our man in Brussels".
"I’m a big believer in alliance-building", says arch networker Hudig. "Even if you are a powerful company, it is often not enough to go it alone. Creating coalitions of interest is something I particularly enjoy doing."
Married for over 35 years, Hudig has three children. He has lived in Brussels for 29 years, enjoys playing tennis, going to the opera and talking to his plants. The only drawback of living in a gastronomic capital such as Brussels, says Hudig, is that it presents a considerable challenge to his waistline.
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