Team

Meet the Team

Through the connection of EU experts, civil society, and decision makers we seek to foster open dialogue and discuss liberal policy solutions to European challenges. Together with our liberal partners, we develop formats and campaigns to promote rule of law, free markets and human rights. Moreover, we coordinate EU co-funded projects in the field of democracy support, development cooperation and human rights protection. Below you can meet the people behind these projects.

Jules Maaten - Regional Director

Jules Maaten is Regional Director of the European Dialogue programme of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF), managing the Brussels, Madrid and Prague offices, including projects in UK, France, Italy and Hungary. He was previously Head of International Regions and Deputy Head of the International Department at FNF Headquarters in Potsdam. Prior to that, Jules Maaten was Regional Head of the Subsahara Africa Region of FNF in Johannesburg, and before that Country Director of FNF Philippines in Manila. From 1999 to 2009, he was a Member of the European Parliament, and from 1992-1999 Secretary General of the Liberal International in London.

Jana Weber - Human Rights & EU Funding

Jana Weber joined the FNF Brussels Team in April 2019 as Manager Programmes & Outreach, managing the regional office's events, trainings, advocacy, and media relations. In 2021, she took on the role of Human Rights & EU Funding Manager, in which she currently oversees our human rights activities and coordinates the EU funding applications from our offices around the world. Jana publishes political analyses and facilitates dialogue among experts and stakeholders, with a special focus on press freedom, disinformation, rule of law, LGBT+ issues, female empowerment and voting rights.

Before joining FNF, Jana gained experience in project and stakeholder management in the private sector. She holds an MA degree in International Relations, with a focus on human rights, from Leiden University.

Dr. Nele Fabian - European Affairs Manager

Dr. Nele Fabian manages all projects related to the economy, innovation, and sustainability, EU-Chinese relations, as well as EU-UK relations. Her academic background is in Political Science and Chinese Studies. She holds a PhD in Modern Chinese Environmental History from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, where she focused on waste management solutions, environmental policy and public governance in China. Before joining FNF, Ms Fabian worked as an editorial manager and developmental editor in interdisciplinary academic publishing, equally with a focus on the environment. Besides her native language German, she speaks English, French, Mandarin Chinese, Hungarian, and beginner’s Japanese.

Jeroen Dobber - Head of the FNF Global Security Hub

Jeroen Dobber joined FNF Europe in May 2020. In his role as head of the FNF Security Hub, he follows the political developments in the European Union and NATO, with special focus on foreign and security policy. He is also responsible for FNF’s projects in the United Kingdom. Mr Dobber publishes reports and political analyses and facilitates dialogue among experts and stakeholders. He previously worked at the European Liberal Forum, the think tank of the ALDE Party, and gained further work experience at a public affairs consultancy, a political think tank and in a diplomatic representation. He studied European Studies at the University of Amsterdam and holds an MA degree in International Political Economy from the University of Warwick.

Greta Kiss - Events & Programmes Manager

Greta Kiss joined the FNF team in Brussels in August 2022 as Events & Programmes Manager. She oversees our events and programmes in Brussels and hosts delegations from other international offices of our Foundation. She aims to organise innovative and adventurous exchanges with our partners to strengthen European dialogue. Before joining the FNF, Greta gained professional experience in diplomacy, policy work and translation and discovered her passion for project management and international exchange. During her master's studies in International Relations, a joint degree programme at the Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, and the University of Potsdam, Germany and a further education programme in Design Thinking at the Hasso Plattner Institute, Potsdam Germany, Greta also studied and worked in Budapest, Tartu, Kyiv, Tel Aviv and London.

Veronica Burgstaller - Communication Manager

Veronica Burgstaller joined FNF EU as Communication Manager in July 2022. She holds an MA in European Studies from KU Leuven, Belgium and a BA in International Studies from Leiden University, the Netherlands. Prior to joining FNF, Veronica worked as a translator in Seoul. She also continues to be a Core Member of Correspondents of the World, an NGO working on disseminating SDG topics from local perspectives. Veronica speaks German, English, Korean and a bit of Indonesian and French.

Ute Entrup Office - Manager and Assistant to the Director FNF Europe

Ute Entrup has been working for the foundation in Brussels since October 2003. As Office Manager and Assistant to the Director of the Regional Office, she is involved in many daily administrative and organisational tasks. She has been living in Belgium since 1994; she is German native, fluent in French and English and knows basic Dutch.