Stefan Schepers has more than 30 years of professional experience in European public and corporate affairs. On the public governance side, he has acted as director general of EIPA and as advisor to the EU Commission and individual governments. On the corporate side, as a consultant to and mediator for leading multinational companies and trade associations, focussing on sustainable value creation and profitability.

EIPA, the European Institute of Public Administration, established by the European Council in 1981 to develop policy research and advice for the EU institutions and to facilitate cooperation between national governance systems, gave him deep insights into the complex drivers of Member States' policy objectives and the functioning of the EU institutions. Whilst developing EIPA, he learned to work with them all and to understand the interaction between public policy, economic interests and societal paradigms.

Later he put this specialist knowledge to use in the business sector, to develop an alternative for the lobbying imported from outside that does not correspond with Europe's needs and political traditions. He concentrates on developing convergence between corporate strategy, public policy, and social-cultural change, to create win-win outcomes for both private interests and the general interest. As a co-founder and partner of EPPA, he works for companies in different sectors, achieving measurable results.

He placed his knowledge and experience at the disposal of the African Renaissance, as a partner in AEAC, a group of leading, Africa-based consultants advising business and governments about economic and political issues of mutual interest for both continents. He is currently chairman of Mazungumzo – the African Forum of Brussels.

Stefan Schepers, a Belgian national, holds Master degrees in Law (University of Leuven, Belgium) and in European Studies (University of Strasbourg, France), and a PH.D. in Political Science (University of Edinburgh, Great Britain).

He is a member of various professional organisations and, in 2008, he was elected as a Member of the European Academy of Arts and Sciences (Class Law, Economy & Social Sciences).

He operates in English, French, Dutch, German and Spanish.