Board

Board members

Zeger Vercouteren (J&J)

Chair
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Zeger Vercouteren is Vice-President Worldwide Government Affairs & Policy, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Global Supply Chain. Zeger partners directly with J&J EMEA Business Segment Presidents to foster policy change which delivers robust and sustainable business and societal impact. Zeger also serves on J&J’s Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board for the EMEA region.
He is currently member of the J&J Foundation Board as well as Chair of the Brexit Task Force at AmCham EU.
Prior to J&J, Zeger headed Baxter’s European GA&P practice (covering devices/biotech/pharma/vaccines) and was Deputy Director General Eucomed, having joined from a business services background.
He holds an honors law degree from the FNDP-Namur/KU Leuven/UC-Barcelona Universities; honors Business Administration Master's Degree from the Solvay Business School/ULB.
Zeger is a Belgian, speaking Dutch, French, English, Spanish, Catalan & understanding German.
Nikolaas Baeckelmans (ExxonMobil)

Vice-Chair (Corporate)
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Nikolaas Baeckelmans has been with ExxonMobil since 1991 in a variety of legal, business and public and government affairs assignments across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In 2014, he was appointed to lead the Brussels EU Liaison office and to coordinate all public and government affairs activities for ExxonMobil in Europe.
He has engaged extensively in policy developments and advocacy campaigns across Europe in the fields of trade, competition law, environment, climate, energy, IP and data privacy.
Mr. Baeckelmans holds a Law Degree from Leuven University and a European History Masters from Strasbourg University.
He’s a Belgian national from Antwerp, now living in Brussels, with his wife and 3 daughters.
Kaarli Eichhorn (Jones Day)

Vice-Chair (Lawyer/Consultant)
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Kaarli H. Eichhorn is a Partner at Jones Day. He was elected Vice-Chair and Member of the Board in July 2020.
Kaarli is a member of Jones Day’s Antitrust & Competition Law Practice. He is also affiliated with the Firm’s Government Regulation Practice and is one of Jones Day’s Nordic Practice leaders. Prior to joining Jones Day he served as Global Executive Counsel – Competition Law & Policy at General Electric Company. Kaarli has worked on a significant number of high-profile and politically sensitive merger and antitrust matters globally for almost 20 years. He has substantial experience in competition law, international regulation and government affairs, including legislative advocacy, foreign investment screening and sanctions.
Kaarli has held prior leadership roles at AmCham EU for many years, including as chair of the Legal Affairs Task Force and as vice-chair of the Competition Committee. He is a prior member of the board of European Justice Forum, a former vice chair of the In-House Competition Counsel Association and member of the BusinessEurope competition committee. He is a non-governmental advisor at the International Competition Network.
Kaarli is a Swedish Advokat (member of the Swedish Bar) and a member of the Brussels Bar.
Cristina Falcone (UPS)

Chair of Policy Group
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Cristina Falcone is Vice President of Public Affairs for UPS Europe. During her tenure at UPS, Cristina has held several management roles in the areas of Product Management, Customer Loyalty and Public Relations prior to her work in Public Affairs. In her current role, she leads the strategy and execution of UPS Public Affairs activities across Europe, advocating for effective policy that benefits European businesses, communities and consumers. She is an Executive Sponsor for the UPS Millennials Business Resource Group and sits on the steering committee for the Brussels Women in Trade Network. Cristina mentors aspiring young professionals from a number of countries across Europe and gives back to the community by volunteering with non-profit organizations that provide aid to the homeless in Brussels.
Cristina is also the Chair of Policy Group at the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU.
Prior to her current role, Cristina held the role of Vice President, Public Affairs, at UPS Canada where she actively advocated on a range of issues, including the advancement and conclusion of the comprehensive trade and facilitation agreement between the EU and Canada (CETA).
Malachy Tuohy (Goodyear)

Chair of Operations Group
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Malachy Tuohy is Director of Public Affairs EMEA for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. He leads a team that is responsible for implementing outreach and engagement strategies with European Union and national policymakers on a diverse set of policy issues, ranging from tire technical regulation to transport, trade, environmental and digital policy.
Malachy joined Goodyear in 2015, taking on roles of progressive responsibility in Corporate and Marketing Communications and Public Affairs. Prior to joining Goodyear, he spent over 6 years working in Public Affairs and Corporate and Policy Communications in Brussels, both at Global Public Affairs Consultancy Weber Shandwick and at foreign policy think-tank Carnegie Europe. Malachy began his career working in journalism, at the International Herald Tribune in Paris.
Malachy is Irish American and has lived, worked, and been educated in the U.S., France, Italy, the UK and Belgium.
Leah Charpentier (First Solar)

Chair, Communications & Marketing Group
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Leah Charpentier is the Head of European Regulatory and Government Affairs at First Solar, a leading and innovative provider of global photovoltaic energy solutions.
At First Solar, she is responsible for developing and implementing EU and national advocacy strategies. She is also actively involved in the company’s sustainability and European business development efforts.
With over 10 years’ experience in the Brussels advocacy environment, Leah Charpentier has an expertise in EU climate, chemical and waste legislation. Before joining First Solar, she worked for Goodyear, and in this role represented the tire industry on a number of EU expert groups.
She is Chair of the American Chamber of Commerce’s Communications and Marketing Group and Vice-Chair of SolarPower Europe’s Strategy Committee.
Fiona Taylor (Verizon)

Member-at-Large (Corporate)
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Fiona Taylor leads Verizon’s International Public Policy function with a team located across three continents. She is in charge of defining the company’s public policy strategy across Verizon’s international footprint, advising cross functional teams on policy issues affecting the business and the company’s global strategy. She is also involved in internal mentoring programmes and Verizon’s Women of the World development programme.
Verizon and its subsidiaries are among the world’s leading providers of communications, entertainment, information technology and security solutions, with annual revenues in 2021 of $130 billion. Outside of the US Verizon also serves large business and government customers, including 99% of the Fortune 1000, covering over 150 countries worldwide.
Fiona has also headed Verizon’s EU representation in Brussels since October 2010. She is a Board Member of the American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union (AmCham EU) and represents the company before international policy-makers including EU institutions and in different organisations such as the European Internet Forum (EIF), ETNO, etc.. She has also served as Vice-chair of the Digital Economy Committee of AmCham EU.
Prior to joining Verizon, Fiona worked with the European Telecommunications Network Operators' Association (ETNO), where she led the public policy function. Her responsibilities included the overall strategic positioning and advocacy of the association focusing on the impact of Internet-related policy and regulation on the member companies.
Victoria Main (SEC Newgate EU)

Member-at-Large
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Victoria Main is CEO at Brussels-based advocacy and communications consultancy SEC Newgate EU (formerly Cambre Associates). She is a policy communications expert with an international mindset and a far-reaching network in Brussels and beyond. She launched SEC Newgate EU’s thriving technology practice as well as the award-winning Brussels Calling debates with leading journalists covering the EU. She supports corporates, governments and trade associations across sectors.
She joined the AmCham EU board as Member-at-Large (Lawyer/Consultant) in June 2021. She is also a member of the Marketing and Communications Group.
Previously head of global media relations at Nokia, Victoria has extensive international experience both in communications and journalism. She had a prior role as head of media at FTI Consulting in Brussels.
Victoria began her career as a journalist, most recently with Reuters in London, but also in Brussels, Hong Kong, Milan, Paris and Wellington. She grew up on a back-country sheep station in New Zealand and also holds French nationality.
Susan Danger

CEO, AmCham EU
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Susan Danger is CEO of AmCham EU. She joined the organisation in 1995 as Communications Manager, going onto become Communications and Operations Manager, and then finally Managing Director in 2002. Susan was elected as Chair of AmChams in Europe (ACE) for the period 2020-2022. AmChams in Europe (ACE) serves as the umbrella organisation for 45 American Chambers of Commerce (AmChams) in 43 countries throughout Europe and Eurasia. She has also served as Vice-Chair (2009 -2014) and was a Member of its Executive Committee (2005-2008). Born and educated in the UK, she began her career in London in various marketing and communication roles for Thomson Tour Operations. She is a dual UK and Belgian citizen and has worked in the UK, Germany, Austria, Spain and Australia.