Welcome

  1. Welcome to my website. I hope I can assist you in your regulatory puzzles, or Brussels puzzles if you like.

I worked for universities, the banking sector, De Nederlandsche Bank and the European Commission as a teacher, advisor, moderator, issues-manager, supervisor, regulator and trainer. In these capacities I've been explaining, connecting, coordinating, translating, drafting and applying European regulatory issues in the financial sector. The European idea “unified in diversity” has always been my guiding principle. Finding common interests and bridging the gap between legal text and day-to-day practice has been my guiding approach.

Regulatory communication is my means to find common interests and to guide and empower people to solve problems, to cooperate across national or sector borders and to create opportunities. Colleagues in Brussels sometimes referred to this approach as “the Linda way” - listening until finding the essence of a problem or a legal text, the commonalities and common goals of the many parties involved, then explaining that essence in simpler words to others and finally inducing joint initiatives. That’s how I contributed to bringing home high impact legislation (especially Directive 2011/89/EU and related initiatives regarding complex financial groups) in full cooperation with respective Presidencies and the Council, Commission colleagues and the European Parliament, and under the responsibility of the European Commission.

People describe me as open minded, respectful, committed and smart. My natural habitat is working in groups of people with very different backgrounds, where I'm able to find their commonalities as well to induce joint initiatives. Bringing people together, like a web of connections, establishing common interests and opportunities appears one of my strengths. Leading the process to the implementation of coordinated strategies is an integral part of my professional attitude.

Translate

The legislative process in Brussels is dynamic, democratic, devoted. And daunting for those who don't understand it. The officials of the European Commission, the member states' representatives at the European Council, the electorate's voices in the European Parliament, together they agree on what to do and how to do it in the European Union. Colors, opinions, backgrounds, languages, an intriguing mix of flavors that need their time to marry, in new agreements, new rules.

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Connect

Crucial for mutual understanding between those who make rules and those who apply them, is that the two ends of that relationship meet. I've never had instances where professionals meet and not find their commonalities.

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Empower

Legislation is the end of a democratic negotiation process, but it is the beginning of an effective application of agreed rules, to get to specific objectives.

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Joining the debate

The best way to gain understanding of people's drivers is in my view still the personal dialogue. Being in Brussels and talking to officials, politicians, lobbyists etcetera is a crucial element of the way I work. Sometimes, however, the Commission appreciates having many stakeholders gathered in Brussels and listening to all of them in a conference. I always enjoy these major treats of different opinions, perspectives and expertise, such as in the examples.

Capital markets union; I ask for extending the UCITS regime to funds that invest in simple debt instruments funding SMEs in minute 3:20:00 .

Closing the loop; I ask to link the debate on financing SMEs in DG FISMA to the debate on facilitating SMEs with a circular business model in DG Growth and DG Environment in minute 2:03:00 .

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