Are you considering a career move to the private sector? Wondering what to expect? Let the experiences of our three respondents help inform your way.
In this latest group interview, Jason Descamps, Founder and CEO of Mavence, brings together insights from seasoned professionals who have transitioned from roles in institutions, associations, and consulting to corporate positions—and sometimes back again. Joining Jason are Margriet Keijzer, who recently took up a new position as Secretary-General at Affordable Medicines Europe but previously served as the Director of EU Affairs at PostNL, and held roles at trade associations, the European Commission and the European Parliament; Tineke Zuurbier, Senior Director Public Affairs at Takeda. Tineke honed her skills as a policy assistant in the European Parliament and worked at the Transatlantic Business Dialogue prior to joining the private sector. and Claudia Breure, who prior to joining Mavence led the global Public Affairs team at Free Now.
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What was the biggest change you experienced when moving from a trade association or institution to a corporate government affairs function? What was the hardest aspect to adjust to?
Claudia:
“Coming from the European Parliament, where work was driven by the parliamentary agenda, weekly crises, and the priorities of the MEP I worked for, the most significant difference in moving to a company was what shaped my day. My schedule was now dictated by the company’s priorities rather than the institutional agenda, which I had naively expected to remain my primary focus. Initially, I struggled to find the right balance, but I soon realised that serving the company’s objectives had to come first.
I believe this is a common challenge for GA professionals. The political agenda can be overwhelming and all-consuming, but it’s crucial to remember that your role is to align with and advance the company’s goals—not to chase the political agenda.”
Tineke:
“A key difference is the ability to focus on one industry and a few strategic issues, compared to managing diverse priorities across multiple industries in a trade association. In trade associations, balancing the varied agendas of member companies is a constant challenge.
Internal stakeholder management within a corporation can be equally complex. Additionally, you need to work harder to justify your role. In a trade association, you’re surrounded by policy experts who inherently understand your value. In a corporation, where colleagues are often commercially focused, your role might be seen as a cost, requiring you to demonstrate the value of corporate affairs.”
Margriet:
“The nature of the work also differs. Corporate affairs often includes compliance, reporting, and litigation processes, alongside advocacy. Having direct access to business units allows you to craft narratives supported by operational data and examples, but it also demands careful attention to business sensitivities, as you represent a single company rather than a sector.”
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What do you find most rewarding about working in corporate affairs compared to your previous non-corporate roles?
Margriet:
“Being able to leverage flagship initiatives and best practices from the company in your outreach is incredibly rewarding. It allows you to showcase tangible examples of the company’s contributions and achievements, which can significantly strengthen your messaging. Additionally, organising company operational visits with stakeholders provides a unique opportunity to bring your political messages to life. These visits help demonstrate the real-world impact of the company’s operations and can significantly reinforce your political messages.”
Claudia:
“You have the chance to make a tangible impact on business objectives. While this might sound straightforward, aligning policy and business cycles can be challenging, and measuring impact isn’t always easy. But when you establish meaningful metrics and show how your work directly contributes to business success, it’s deeply satisfying.”
Tineke:
“It’s fulfilling when the company embraces the corporate affairs function and allows you to position the industry as part of the solution to societal challenges. Corporate affairs today often involves multi-stakeholder partnerships, which require significant investment and carry some risk, but seeing these partnerships succeed is highly rewarding.
It’s also gratifying to have a defined role in the business plan, to achieve milestones, and to see cross-functional teams recognise the value of corporate affairs. When colleagues enthusiastically participate in external engagement projects, it’s a clear sign that your work is appreciated.”
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What is your top piece of advice for someone preparing for their first corporate government affairs role?
Tineke:
“Understand the company’s commercial and strategic objectives. Build your corporate affairs plan around these goals and collaborate with cross-functional teams to co-create it. Make sure the plan is signed off by the team and a corporate sponsor. Focus is key—there are countless issues you could address, but prioritising the critical ones and learning to say no is essential.”
Claudia:
“Take the time to onboard yourself thoroughly. Understand the company’s products, services, strategies, and values, and learn how to communicate these to external stakeholders. Where positions and messages don’t exist, create them.
Building internal stakeholder relationships is critical, as you’ll need their input to craft policy positions. Balancing your time between internal and external efforts is equally important. This balance will depend on the company’s government affairs maturity. In organisations with established processes, you may focus more externally. In newer setups, you’ll likely spend time educating internal stakeholders about the importance of government affairs and its alignment with business goals.
When internal stakeholders don’t yet see the value of government affairs, skills like diplomacy, empathy, persuasion, and perseverance become indispensable.”
Margriet:
“It is crucial to familiarise yourself with the company’s commercial priorities, challenges, and opportunities before creating your strategy. Build your strategy around these priorities while always keeping an eye out for policy-driven growth opportunities. This allows you to proactively identify areas where government affairs can contribute to business success and create value for the organisation.”
Moving into a corporate government affairs role can be both challenging and rewarding. As highlighted by Margriet, Tineke, and Claudia, the shift requires adapting to new priorities, managing complex internal and external relationships, and aligning advocacy efforts with business goals. Success in this field demands a deep understanding of the company’s strategic objectives and the ability to demonstrate the tangible value of government affairs.
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Interested in deepening the conversation and learning more? Motivated to throw your hat into the ring and make the move to the private sector yourself? Get in touch with our team and our Mavens can help answer any new or long-standing questions you may have about your career and how to prepare yourself for and manage any potential transition: claudia.breure@mavence.com
