Brooch Associates is a global advisory firm
Bringing together pragmatic guidance and assured possibilitarianism, we work with our clients on navigating complex geopolitical and issues-based challenges and opportunities; widening existing networks, spokespeople, and allies through a sophisticated understanding of power dynamics in regional and global contexts; and charting new ways of engaging in strategic foresight for public and corporate leadership. We work across both traditional and emerging markets and industries.
Brooch carefully selects our clients. We believe in surrounding worthy leaders with intellectual firepower, imaginative diplomacy, considered wisdom, and grace. Our trusted client portfolio includes government leaders, corporate executives, and directors of think tanks and academic institutions.
Established in 2020, Brooch was founded by Elizabeth Linder and four Principals: Dr. Stefanie Babst, April Gow, Ambassador Patricia Haslach, and Jolana Vainio.
Elizabeth J. Linder
FOUNDER & CEO, CHIEF DIPLOMATIC OFFICERThroughout her entire career to date, Elizabeth Linder has never held a position with an existing job description. From serving as Facebook’s first “secretary of state” to founding Brooch Associates, a global policy advisory firm, in 2020, Elizabeth is at the forefront of modern corporate and government diplomacy, strategic communications, and nuanced policymaking. She has physically worked in fifty-six countries across both developed and emerging markets and currently looks after a portfolio of leaders at the ministerial and CEO levels as Brooch’s CEO and Chief Diplomatic Officer.
Elizabeth started her career at Google/YouTube, specializing in political campaigning the year user-generated content first splashed onto the national political scene in the United States. In 2008, Facebook recruited Elizabeth to join its two-person International Communications team. At the time, the company had no policy or communications representative outside of the United States. When Elizabeth stepped down from Facebook following her eight-year tenure as the company’s first international corporate diplomat dedicated to the government, political, and civil society constituencies, she had been at the company longer than 99.2% of employees at the time.
Elizabeth co-Chairs the St. James’s Roundtable – Chatham House’s fastest-growing membership tier – and Chairs the Kinross House Meetings, which take place twice-yearly in Scotland. She serves on the Board of the Gates-funded Medicines for Malaria Ventures; the Programme Committee of Ditchley Park; and the Board of Strategy International. Elizabeth graduated from Princeton University Phi Beta Kappa with a BA in French and Italian and holds a Distinction in the Wine & Spirits Education Trust Exam Levels II and III.
A California native, she resides in London.
Amb. Patricia Haslach
PRINCIPAL AND GLOBAL POLICY ADVISORAmbassador Patricia Haslach specializes in global trade, international development, and conflict stabilization across geostrategically complex regions. As a Principal at Brooch Associates, Patricia works with client countries to construct and solidify national reputation-building in influential political, governmental, and third-sector circles.
Patricia’s background in the U.S. Department of State spans a wide variety of geographical theatres, including the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Washington, DC. During her tenure at State, Patricia served as Ambassador to Ethiopia and Laos and to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum; Acting Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs; Director for the Office for Afghanistan; and Deputy Coordinator for Diplomacy for the U.S. Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative. As Coordinator for Iraq Transition in the Office of the Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources, Patricia was responsible for coordinating all Washington-based diplomatic aspects of the U.S. transition from military to civilian operations culminating with the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops at the end of December 2011. She has received the Superior Honor Award for Afghanistan reconstruction and the Herbert Salzman Award for Excellence in International Economic Performance.
A native of Lake Oswego, Oregon, she splits her time between the United Kingdom and the GCC region.
Dr. Stefanie Babst
PRINCIPAL AND GLOBAL POLICY ADVISORDr. Stefanie Babst specializes in anticipatory policymaking through bringing together the art of strategic foresight with the practice of public diplomacy. As a Principal at Brooch Associates, Stefanie equips our clients with the intellectual firepower and geopragmatic rigour needed to succeed in today’s interconnected and complex world.
As the first highest-ranking German woman in NATO’s International Secretariat, Stefanie created, built, and led new divisions at NATO to drive forward institutional thinking to meet emerging opportunities, challenges, threats, and global trends. Over the course of her 22-year tenure, Stefanie served as NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General of the Public Diplomacy Division; and head of NATO’s Strategic Foresight Team, which advised the Secretary General and Chairman of the Military Committee on strategic unknowns and crisis situations in geographical and functional areas of relevance to the Alliance. She actively supported numerous NATO Summits and created a large network to policymakers across the globe. Widely regarded by her colleagues as a “possibilitarian”, Stefanie has a professorial background in Russian and Eastern European Studies and is a Board Member of the German Council on Foreign Relations and the Danish Center for War Studies. She is a Senior Associate Fellow with the London-based European Leadership Network.
A former Brussels resident, she is now based in her home country of Germany.
Jolana Vainio
SENIOR STRATEGIC ADVISOR TO THE FOUNDER & CEOJolana Vainio specializes in discerning communications, agile leadership, and decisive consensus-building across internationally-complex networks and environments. As Senior Strategic Advisor to the Founder & CEO of Brooch Associates, Jolana is instrumental in defining and developing the strategic development of the firm. She looks after Brooch’s global network of advisors, brand positioning, and global client portfolio.
Jolana serves as the Founder and Co-Chair of the St James’s Roundtable, the fastest-growing membership circle at Chatham House. The Roundtable broadens Chatham House’s appeal to new geopolitically-interested audiences and expands its membership footprint through creative programs and thought leadership.
Jolana’s background in Silicon Valley public relations, combined with her mastery of five languages and passion for global affairs, has been instrumental in driving forward her involvement in the fund development board of Women for Women international London, as well as civic boards from San Francisco to Berlin. She is actively involved in the contemporary art world.
A native of Finland, she resides in London.
Why optimism must prevail
— Dr. Stefanie Babst & Elizabeth Linder
“We believe this crisis is a call to action for embracing change, transformation and new opportunities. As possibilitarians, we accept that this has been a challenging year, but ultimately, we steadfastly believe in a positive year ahead.”
It’s time for NATO and the EU to have a serious conversation about China
— Dr. Stefanie Babst
“With the purchase of critical infrastructure in Europe’s South, China now has a powerful avenue to influence the political decision-making in the countries concerned”
The Future of Corporate Diplomacy
— Elizabeth Linder
“The art of diplomacy goes against the grain of so much of what the corporate machine values, promotes, and lauds. Yet behind the curtain of so many of the most transformative moments in history are the tireless hours that go into building trust and opening dialogue.”
The Chatham House Centenary
— April Gow
“Long may your work continue to inspire and motivate the next generation of wise policy makers – the world requires more than intelligence, it requires wisdom.”