The Cohen Group assists companies around the world to enter and succeed in Europe’s public and private sectors. In complex and developing markets, understanding and shaping the political and regulatory landscape is increasingly important, as is the ability to manage risk and identify opportunities.
Leveraging our team’s decades of experience working with European elected and career officials, regulators, parliamentarians, business leaders, and media, The Cohen Group is well positioned to help clients accelerate business success and achieve difficult goals. As European governments increase their defense budgets and adopt a more robust defense posture, The Cohen Group is ready to assist clients in identifying, pursuing, and closing on opportunities. Our team includes former Supreme Allied Commander for Europe (SACEUR) General Mike Scaparrotti, former SACEUR General Joseph Ralston, former Deputy SACEUR Sir Tim Radford, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and U.S. Ambassador to NATO Nick Burns, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Marc Grossman, and former Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at US Embassy London and US Consul General to Bavaria Jen Gavito, among other highly experienced professionals.
The Cohen Group also assists European firms to succeed in local and foreign markets across sectors. Our European clients have come from a dozen countries, including the France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the UK. These clients have ranged from mid-market to multinational firms in sectors including: telecommunications, automotive, international logistics, engineering, financial services, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, metals, aerospace, civil aviation, energy, building products, and professional services.
The Cohen Group has extensive experience working with the public sector in Europe for international clients seeking to secure European public contracts and understand local and regional policies and regulations. This includes experience navigating bureaucracies and working with cabinet-level and other senior officials in two dozen countries. The Cohen Group assists clients in securing and preparing for high-level engagements through research and analysis, outreach, messaging guidance, and strategy development. The firm also relies upon its in-house experts to develop workplans to achieve strategic victories and develop business opportunities in new markets.
Examples of Our Work in Europe
- Secured public sector contracts worth billions of US dollars in Western, Central, and Eastern Europe, including by building political and local partnership strategies, facilitating outreach, and providing superior business intelligence.
- For clients in the defense sector, relied upon extensive, in-depth knowledge of European Ministries of Defense to facilitate in-country introductions to senior officials to assess government defense priorities, funding, and partnership opportunities.
- Led client delegation to Ukraine to meet with senior officials, assess current challenges and long-term plans for economic reform, and immediate business opportunities. Provided in-depth analysis and advice to clients on the sectoral implications of the war in Ukraine and its impacts on European markets.
- For a client in financial services, secured regulatory approval from an Eastern European government for a global firm to divest a local banking operation to a specific buyer, following the seller’s unsuccessful efforts over an extended period.
- Secured action by a Central European government to deliver on its commitments in a public-private partnership infrastructure project, recovering nearly a half billion dollars of value for our client.
- Advise hedge funds on political and regulatory developments in or involving Europe that are relevant to their investments.
- For a client in the satellite communications space, conducted a market assessment of political interest and budgetary capabilities related to new investments in government SATCOM.
- Assisted infrastructure and engineering firm to successfully position for program management and technical advisory support in an Eastern European country with significant construction needs.
- For a client in the real estate sector, conducted a reputational assessment of a prospective client interested in purchasing a high-value property in the UK.
- For a client in the financial sector, developed strategic messaging, facilitated engagements with high-level industry and government stakeholders to enhance brand awareness and reputation as well as navigate regulatory requirements to establish operations in the UK and EU.
- For a client in the energy sector, provided a tailored review of geopolitical risks and recent developments in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea.
- For a client in the medical device sector, assessed potential markets of interest across the EU, identified key stakeholders and events, and facilitated tailored engagements with senior officials.