Home>Ross Creelman, Class of 2017
23.02.2022
Ross Creelman, Class of 2017
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND?
I enrolled in the Master in European Affairs at the School of Public Affairs following a degree in foreign languages and literature. I studied French and German at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, with an Erasmus year at the University of Bonn in Germany. After graduating from Sciences Po, I did an internship at the European Court of Auditors in Luxembourg, and then I moved to Brussels to start my career in European affairs in a consulting firm. I currently work for an organisation that represents telecommunication companies in Brussels.
WHAT WERE THE MAIN STAGES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL PATH?
Aside from my studies, the internships that I undertook during my Master’s at Sciences Po contributed enormously to the development of my career path. I had the honour of doing two internships alongside two deputies of the French National Assembly, which allowed me to familiarise myself with the institution and the questions linked to European politics from the perspective of a national parliament. I did my end-of-studies internship at the European Court of Auditors where I worked in an audit team examining the system of ex-post reviews of EU legislation. This experience allowed me to analyse European Commission procedures in detail and discover the role of other European institutions.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR POSITION TODAY AS A PUBLIC POLICY MANAGER AT ETNO (EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK OPERATORS' ASSOCIATION)?
ETNO represents European Telecom Network Operators in the EU institutions and also at international level. As a Public Policy Manager for ETNO, I work closely with our members' experts on issues such as artificial intelligence, 5G, Internet governance and platform regulation. We exchange regularly with the European Commission, members of the European Parliament, the governments of Member States as well as international organisations such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
WHAT CONTRIBUTIONS DID YOUR STUDY AT THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, AND MORE PARTICULARLY THE MASTER IN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS MAKE TO THE POSITION YOU HOLD TODAY?
The programme offered by the School of Public Affairs, in particular, the Master in European Affairs, offers a comprehensive overview on European public policy issues. This in turn informs the approach and tools necessary to analyse these issues not only from a legal point of view, but also an economic, political and - crucially for a career in European affairs - from an understanding of the commercial context.
While our members require a detailed understanding of the European legislative system, it is important that we interpret what happens in Brussels in regards to the impact that EU policies may have on their company and their clients.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE TO GIVE A STUDENT OR A FUTURE YOUNG GRADUATE?
Learning never ends. Granted formal studies come to an end at some point, but every professional challenge should be considered as an opportunity to learn something. This includes things that we learn everyday in the office, as well as courses that exist where you can develop your knowledge in an area directly related to work, such as improving your professional skills for example in public speaking, or even refine your language skills.
