9th UIA Associations Round Table Europe 2015

Ulrike von Lonski

Director of Communications
World Petroleum Council

Ulrike von Lonski joined the World Petroleum Council in November 2005 as Director of Communication. Having previously been on the organising committee for the 18th World Petroleum Congress in South Africa, prepared her for her new role promoting the Council as a forum for global issues affecting the oil and gas industry. The WPC is dedicated to scientific advances in the oil and gas industries, technology transfer and to promoting the management of the world’s petroleum resources for the benefit of all. The triennial Congress remains a key focus of the Council’s operations and requires her close cooperation with the host country on all aspects of organising the largest meeting for the oil and gas industry. The next Congress will take place in Istanbul in July 2017.

Following the launch of the WPC Youth Committee in 2006, Ulrike has been passionately involved with its team and the engagement of young people in the global oil and gas sector. She was a member of the Executive Board of the 2nd WPC Youth Forum in Paris in 2009, presenter at the 3rd WPC Youth Forum in India in 2010 and senior advisor to the young organising team for the 4th WPC Youth Forum in Calgary in October 2013.

After studying Business Administration at the universities of Cologne and Saarbruecken in Germany, Ulrike started her career in 1992 with the Adam Smith Institute in London. There she built up the Institute’s finance and energy portfolios for the Former Soviet Union and was promoted to Director of Energy and Investment Promotion, before moving over to the International Trade and Exhibitions Group in a similar role for several years. Having worked with Russia and the former Soviet Union on a number of high-level industry meetings and government conferences, Ulrike also has experience of working with the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Ulrike speaks German and English to mother tongue standards and attempts Spanish and French when no-one is there to listen.

Marleen Denef

Marleen Denef is partner at Curia, where she leads the team social enterprises.

Together with her team she advises associations, national as well as international, foundations, companies with social purpose, cooperative companies,… Clients can be private as well as (semi-) public institutions.

Marleen is also Doctor in Law and teaches a course on associations and social enterprises at the Catholic University of Leuven – campus Brussels. Marleen is regularly invited to participate in expert or steering committees and is a frequently asked speaker at congresses and seminars.

Sarah Verschaeve

Sarah Verschaeve is counsel at Curia in the team social enterprises.

She advises and assists non profit and social profit clients as well as companies with a CSR project.

Sarah regularly speaks at seminars and workshops.

Philippe Noirhomme

Philippe Noirhomme is a fiscal consultant working with Belgian VAT Desk. He previously spent 11 years with Ernst & Young Tax Consultants in the Indirect Tax department, and is currently a Research Assistant at the Tax Institute of the University of Liège. He is co-author of “VAT Package : the new rules applicable to services”, published by Editions Larcier in January 2010.

Philippe Noirhomme, conseil fiscal, Cabinet Belgian VAT Desk, a travaillé pendant 11 ans au sein du département Indirect Tax d'Ernst & Young Tax Consultants et est collaborateur scientifique au Tax Institute de l'ULG. Il est notamment co-auteur du livre VAT PACKAGE - Les nouvelles règles applicables aux prestations de services - paru aux Editions Larcier en janvier 2010.

Valentin Dupouey

International Committee for Education Chair of the Erasmus Student Network

Valentin has been in engaged, as a volunteer and young professional, in the European youth, education and sport sectors for the past 6 years. Through various positions within the International Sport and Culture Association, the European University Sports Association, the Erasmus Student Network and the European Youth Forum, he has developed a deep understanding of the governance of European NGO networks. He developed an extensive knowledge of European policies in the field of youth, education and sport and of their flagship initiative: the Erasmus+ programme.

His engagement led him to his current position of policy and advocacy officer within the European Civic Forum, where he advocates for a stronger voice of civil society and a more participatory democracy on the European stage.

Valentin passionately speaks about the European citizenship and mobility. Both concepts he experienced first hand through the Erasmus programme, the European Voluntary Service and other cultural exchange experiences in the UK, Slovenia and Denmark.

Mieke Barbé

Mieke Barbé has worked in the events industry since she started her career at the Belgian EU-Presidency. In her current role, Mieke oversees the project and business management at Open Slide & Services, a technology provider for events. She currently also plays an instrumental role in the Belgium Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) where she is in charge of developing and coordinating the educational calendar.

Mieke has relevant experience in the private sector as well as the public sector, and has always worked in an international context. Her past roles as a meeting planner and current position as supplier give her a good idea on what lives in the industry. She has always worked in an international context and is always keen to listen and learn from other meeting planners, associations and suppliers.

Fulfilling manager positions in small enterprises the past years, Mieke acquired administrative skills and continues to find ways to simplify procedures and teamwork. She takes pleasure in gaining and sharing knowledge and experience. Both are skills she uses to the fullest as a board member of the association "MPI".