Meet some of the Bureau
Colin Mackay
Colin is the founder of the Brussels Writing Bureau, a company dedicated to providing English-language writing services to companies, associations and agencies in and around Brussels.
Colin has more than 15 years experience in senior communication roles, the last ten years of which have been spent in Brussels. He was Director of Communications for both EFPIA, the association of the research-based pharmaceutical industry, and Cosmetics Europe, the association for personal care product manufacturers. He has also managed the EU healthcare teams within international Public Relations agencies, as well as running his own healthcare communications agency in Brussels, working for a variety of blue-chip clients. Colin is a native of Scotland.
Gary Finnegan
Gary Finnegan is an award-winning journalist, editor and author, based in Brussels. He has a
particular interest in health, research and innovation policy. Gary has written and edited a range of magazines, newspapers and websites, including EurActiv, where he was science and health section editor.
Gary has written extensively for the pharmaceutical, vaccine and medical technology industries. He has a degree in physiology and a Masters degree in science communication. He has been a national winner (Ireland) of the EU Health Prize for Journalists on three occasions and has written a book about China. Gary is an Irish national, originally from Dublin.
Anita Kelly
Anita Kelly has 17 years of experience communicating to journalists throughout the EU. Anita develops and implements media campaigns, often on complex or sensitive issues. She also coaches clients on how to make the most out of media.
Anita has worked in Brussels since the early nineties. After managing a pan-European radio campaign on HIV awareness for teenagers, she joined the European Commission’s anti-discrimination unit managing the communications campaign for the European Year against Racism.
Anita has spent almost ten years within major international agencies, conducting media relations and organising communications campaigns for public bodies, international organisations and NGOs. She also spent six years as Communications Director of AmCham EU, and was spokesperson for Libertas, a pan-European political movement. Anita is originally from Galway in Ireland, and speaks English, French and Dutch.
Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson has worked as both a journalist and editor in Brussels for more than 17 years. As well as working as a writer for the Brussels Writing Bureau since 2014, Brian is also managing editor of the European Parliament Magazine. He was also commissioning editor for the magazine, where he was responsible for overseeing the quality of all content, including sub-editing and proofing.
Based in Brussels for the last 17 years, Brian is a mother-tongue English speaker and holds a degree in corporate communications
Sam Rowe
Sam Rowe has 30 years’ experience in communications across a broad range of disciplines including corporate, issues management, reputation building, B2B/B2C and media. She has been in Brussels since 1997.
As a native English writer, largely unencumbered by any other language, Sam has spent her career writing speeches, press information, background documents, newsletters, annual reports and research summaries. In addition, she is an experienced media trainer, working with private and public organisations, including the European Commission, to explain how to communicate effectively.
Sam is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and a past-president of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) in Belgium. She has held director roles with consultancies in both London and Brussels. A British national, Sam holds a BA honours degree in Modern History and Politics from the University of London, Royal Holloway College.
Helen O'Sullivan
Helen O’Sullivan came to Brussels in 1995 to work in the NGO sector, in the area of Youth Affairs. She then spent 10 years in a trade association covering various European policy areas including agriculture, regulatory affairs within the food and drink industry, and transparency and lobbying.
She studied architecture at the Dublin Institute of Technology, and fine art at the Beeldende Kunstakademie Overijse, and she holds a Bachelors degree in Economics from the Open University. She has been working as a graphic designer and visual artist since 2009.
Dan Smith
Dan Smith is an experienced writer and editor who specialises in technical copywriting. His clients include a number of Brussels-based associations as well as international companies with a presence in Europe. He is particularly adept at explaining technical subjects to non-technical audiences such as regulators and the wider public. Dan has worked in a variety of sectors, including aerospace, IT, lithography (semiconductors), steel and stainless steel.
Dan has more than 30 years experience as a writer. He is Australian by birth, and since 2001 has chosen to live and work in Europe.
Anthony Haywood
Anthony Haywood is an accredited English-speaking journalist, author and editor. He has a degree in Comparative Literature, and is fluent in German and Russian. Anthony has experience working in global pharmaceutical communications as a senior editor, communications specialist and online journalist.
His freelance work includes writing and editing for clients such as Axel Springer AG, as well as translation and brochure copywriting and editing. He has also written guidebooks and articles on travel & lifestyle for leading publishers, including Lonely Planet, Condé Nast Traveller, National Geographic Traveler and Nelles Verlag. Anthony is originally from Fremantle in Western Australia.
