European Competitiveness & Defense Panel
Date: Thursday, 24 April 2025
Time: 18:00 – 21:30
Venue: Prince Albert Club, Brussels

Strategic Autonomy in an Era of Global Volatility

As Europe faces renewed geopolitical rivalry, growing strategic dependencies, and a rapidly evolving security environment, the need to reinforce its industrial and defense capacity has become a top priority. Questions surrounding sovereignty, resilience, and transatlantic coordination are no longer abstract—they are central to Europe’s long-term strategic posture.

In response, A Seat At The Table (ASATT) will convene key figures from the European Commission, NATO, national governments, the defense industry, and academia for a high-level dialogue on the future of European competitiveness and security.

Held at the historic Prince Albert Club in Brussels, this evening session offers a unique forum for institutional exchange and intergenerational conversation, bringing together senior decision-makers and next-generation leaders.

Key Topics of Discussion

▪️ Strengthening industrial resilience across Europe’s defense ecosystem
▪️ Enhancing EU–NATO coordination on capabilities and strategic planning
▪️ The transatlantic dimension: innovation, investment, and interoperability
▪️ Public–private cooperation in critical sectors
▪️ Human capital and talent pipelines for long-term defense readiness

Confirmed Participants Include

  • Henna Virkkunen – Executive Vice-President, European Commission (Tech Sovereignty, Security & Democracy)
  • Lt. Gen. Pierre GĂ©rard – Belgian Military Representative to NATO & the EU Military Committee
  • Wouter Beke – Member of the European Parliament (Committee on Security and Defense – SEDE)
  • Petras AuštreviÄŤius – Member of the European Parliament (Foreign Affairs – AFET)
  • Diego de Ojeda GarcĂ­a-Pardo – Head of Unit for Security & Defense Policy Coordination, European Commission
  • Christian Lifländer – Head of Defense Policy, NATO
  • François Raffenne – Head of EU & NATO Public Affairs, ArianeGroup
  • Barbara Van Den Haute – EU & NATO Affairs Lead, Microsoft Belgium
  • Prof. Dr. Cindy Du Bois – Adviser to the Belgian Minister of Defense & Professor, Royal Military Academy

Moderators:

Panel 1: European Competitiveness & Industrial Strategy

Barbara Moens: EU Correspondent at the Financial Times in Brussels, where she covers European policy developments in tech, competition, and digital affairs. Prior to joining the FT, she served as Chief EU Correspondent at Politico Europe, and spent over eight years reporting for De Tijd. She also lectures journalism at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and is a former Fulbright scholar at the University of Missouri. With over a decade of experience in high-level political reporting, Barbara brings deep insight into EU institutional dynamics and transatlantic relations.

Panel 2: Defense Readiness &  Strategic Partnerships

Lea Pavlovic: Manager for Defense, Space & Aviation at Logos Public Affairs in Brussels. With a background from Sciences Po Paris and a strong track record in EU policy, she specialises in strategic communications at the intersection of European defense, space policy, and transatlantic cooperation. Prior to Logos, she held roles at Access Partnership and APCO Worldwide, and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Space, Security and Defence Committee at AmCham EU.

Evening Program

18:00 – 18:30 | Guest Registration & Welcome
18:30 – 18:35 | Opening Address – Youssef Kobo, Founder, ASATT
18:35 – 19:10 | Keynote Address & Q&A – Henna Virkkunen
19:10 – 19:55 | Panel 1: European Competitiveness & Industrial Strategy
19:55 – 20:40 | Panel 2: Defense Readiness & Transatlantic Innovation
20:40 – 20:50 | Closing Note – ASATT Defense Team
20:50 – 21:30 | Standing Reception & Networking

About the Organizers

A Seat At The Table (ASATT) is a Brussels-based leadership initiative connecting young professionals with leaders in government, diplomacy, industry, and civil society. Through curated sessions, ASATT fosters high-level strategic exchange across generations on Europe’s most pressing challenges.

This event is part of ASATT’s flagship dialogue series on competitiveness, democratic resilience, and security policy.

Organised by: A Seat At The Table (ASATT)
With the support of: Whyte Corporate Affairs · Agoria · BSDI