OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD
2025 - 2026
European Guanxi is:
Presidency and Secretariat

President
René Neumann
(he/him)
René is currently pursuing a Master of Law in China Studies within the Politics and International Relations policy stream at the Yenching Academy of Peking University. He graduated from King’s College London with a BA in International Relations in 2023, having spent his second year on an Erasmus+ exchange at Sciences Po Paris. During his undergraduate studies, he interned at the Embassy of Mexico in Italy, having previously completed a year-long AFS program in Mexico at age 16, and undertook a research fellowship investigating how populist right-wing female leaders frame female leadership. He also represented Italy at the ASEF 5th Young Leaders Summit in 2023 and was a Political Studies Summer Fellow at Hudson Institute in 2024. He is fluent in English, Italian, Spanish, and French, and speaks intermediate Chinese.

Secretary-General
Xaver Haack
(he/him)
Xaver is currently pursuing a PhD in Economics at Peking University. He holds a master's degree in International Affairs from the London School of Economics and gained professional experience as a Bluebook Trainee at the European Commission.

Vice-President
Hannah Preuß
(she/her)
Hannah holds a Sino-German BSc International Economics and a Sciences Po-Fudan dual Master in EU Affairs and Public Policy . Currently a Young Professional at Germany’s Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, she has experience with the European Commission (DG Trade), Germany’s Permanent Representation to the EU, German Foreign Ministry in Taiwan, GIZ, and the German Chamber of Commerce in Dubai.

Vice-Secretary-General
Douglas Anderson
(he/him)
Douglas Brenton Anderson is a Research Editor (Sanctions & Other Official Lists) at Dow Jones in Princeton, New Jersey. He is also a Canada-Asia Young Professional Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Before joining Dow Jones, he interned at the Hudson Institute, CSIS, and ASPI in Washington, D.C. He previously served as Editor-in-Chief at European Guanxi (2024-2025) and as an Editor (2023-2024). He holds a double master’s from Tsinghua University and the University of Geneva in Public Policy Administration for the Sustainable Development Goals. In his spare time, he enjoys travel, having been to 41 cities in China—and is also a classical pianist.
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Treasurer
Audrey Berder
(she/her)
Audrey Berder is a trilingual (French/English/Chinese) EU-China policy specialist focused on climate and energy geopolitics. Currently interning at the European Securities and Markets Authority, she previously gained experience at the OECD and ECB. A graduate of the LSE–Fudan joint program, her multicultural background across five countries drives her mission to bridge East-West divides through innovative green diplomacy.
Our Team Heads

Chief Communications Officer
Alec Kosedowski
(he/him)
Alec holds a Master’s degree in Business Informatics from Trier University and has studied Chinese language and history at Fuzhou University. He gained professional experience in China as an intern in Beijing. Currently based in Germany, Alec works as a Data Engineer.

Editor in Chief
(Head of the Editorial Team)
Susanna Aghajanyan
(she/her)
Susanna Aghajanyan holds a Master’s degree in Chinese Studies from the University of Würzburg (Germany), specializing in contemporary Chinese society and foreign policy, and a Bachelor’s degree in Regional Studies with a focus on China from the Slavonic University (Armenia). She has studied extensively in China, completing an exchange semester at Beijing University’s Institute of International Relations, a year at Dalian University of Foreign Languages, and a semester at Wuhan University. Beyond academia, Susanna is the founder of the Sinology Journal at the University of Würzburg, a student-led academic publication. She gained professional experience as an intern at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Asia-Pacific Department, where she contributed to research and reports on China’s economic diplomacy and trade policy. In addition, she has taught Chinese language and culture at the Yerevan State University, where she organized seminars on Chinese political philosophy and ethnology.

Head of the Events Team
Giancarlo di Rovasenda
(he/him)
Giancarlo di Rovasenda is an Italian specialist in public policy and European affairs, with a multidisciplinary profile bridging International Cooperation and Trade, and Entrepreneurship. His research focuses on matters affecting data policy and innovation in the context of Europe–China relations, with the aim of advancing European competitiveness and strengthening the EU’s capacity to remain resilient on the international stage. He has worked in diverse environments, including the French Consulate in San Francisco on public affairs and technology diplomacy, the private sector, with IBM Consulting in Paris on digital transformation strategies, and most recently the European Chamber of Commerce in China, contributing to communications and policy engagement between European firms and Chinese authorities. Giancarlo holds a Master’s in International Management from Peking University HSBC Business School and a Master’s in European Affairs from Sciences Po Paris.

Head of the Podcast Team
Alixia Brule
(she/her)
Alixia is passionate about Chinese politics and diplomatic relations in the Indo-Pacific region. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Development from McGill University in Montreal and recently completed a Master’s in Public and International Affairs at the University of Hong Kong, where she focused on Asian perspectives in security and governance. With experience in diplomacy and journalism, she is currently completing a traineeship at the EU Office in Hong Kong and Macao.

Head of the Membership Office
(he/him)
Maxim is a Mathematician by training with international experience across Europe, Asia, and EU institutions, bridging the worlds of finance, policy, and innovation. He has led international forums with 250+ members, coordinated multi-parliamentary conferences across Europe and beyond, and delivered policy research at the European Parliament shaping debates on EU legislation. Currently pursuing management studies at ESCP Business School, focusing on the intersection of democratic resilience and economic stability, with the long-term vision of driving the internationalisation of companies between Europe, Asia, and the transatlantic sphere.

Chief Partnerships and Fundraising Officer
Eugénie Martinez Lonné
(she/her)
Eugénie holds a Double Master’s degree in International Law and International Economics from Sciences Po Bordeaux and Pantheon-Assas University. With professional experience in international law firms and consulting firms in the energy sector, she has contributed to projects supported by the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank and the European Investment Bank. Formerly Partnerships & Fundraising Officer at European Guanxi, she brings a strong commitment to international cooperation. As a French, English, Spanish and Mandarin speaker, Eugénie is passionate about leveraging energy infrastructure to drive inclusive change and foster global dialogue.
Our Deputies

Vice-Head of the Communications Team (Social Media)
Alice Freguglia
(she/her)
Alice is an Italian professional currently based in Venice. She is pursuing a Master’s degree in European Studies at Sapienza University of Rome, alongside a first-level Master in Green Economy and Sustainable Management. Beyond academia, she works as a videomaker for Italian content creators in the education sector, combining her passion for storytelling and visual communication.

Vice-Head of the Communications Team (Newsletter)
Francesco Palma
(he/him)
Francesco Palma is a Communications Officer specialising in EU affairs and sustainability. He currently serves as Vice Head of Communication at European Guanxi. He also works with the Young Indo-Pacific Forum on projects linking Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Francesco holds a Master’s in Global Energy Transition and Governance from the Centre International de Formation Européenne (CIFE) and a Bachelor’s in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs from the University of Bologna. His work focuses on strategic communication, EU–Asia relations, and digital engagement.
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Vice-Head of the Communications Team (Website)
Alexandre Taesch
(he/him)
Alexandre is a Big Data Engineer with a focus on aerospace innovation and digital transformation. He holds a Master’s in Computer Science from the University of Technology of Compiègne (Sorbonne). During his studies, he coordinated the integration of Chinese students for three years, an experience that encouraged him to learn Mandarin and to explore the dynamics of EU–China relations with a long-term perspective.

Vice-Head of the Memberships Team
Lasse Huxoll
(he/him)
Lasse is completing a Master’s double degree in History at the Universities of Bologna and Bielefeld. His studies focuses on the history of European integration, with particular emphasis on European foreign policy, Europe’s self-understanding, and European law. His thesis examines the construction of Europe’s early foreign policy toward the People’s Republic of China. He also spent a semester on Erasmus at the University of Groningen, studying European Studies. Alongside his studies, Lasse works at Bielefeld University and has several years of political experience supporting a Member of the German State Parliament and a Member of the Bundestag. He holds a bachelor’s degree in History and Law, with a concentration in European Law and History.

Vice-Head of the Editorial Team
Stefano Bertoli
(he/him)
Stefano holds a Master’s Degree in Asian Studies and a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies from Leiden University. His research is focused on hegemonic competition, especially related to global technology supply networks and Sino-American competition in Central and Southeast Asia. Having served as an Editor for EG for a year and a half, he is now stepping into the position of Deputy Editor-in-Chief, overseeing daily editorial operations and managing the publication’s team of writers. Stefano gained professional experience at the European Union Delegation to Australia, where he contributed to the Political and Press section with reports and research on Indo-Pacific affairs. He currently works at Bain and Company.

Co-Lead Editor
Kai Moreno Momiejo
(he/they)
Kai Momiejo is a Co-Lead Editor at European Guanxi and is a PhD candidate in Spanish and Portuguese at Cambridge University, focusing on a philosophical rearticulation of nostalgia as an utopian force. He holds an MA in China Studies from Peking University, where he had the chance to conduct research in diverse regions of China. Kai also has experience interning for the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and working as a language tutor. He is also interested in conflict mediation and humanitarian relief, having organised serveral fundraisers and platforms. In his spare time, Kai loves writing poetry (currently trying to publish his first book), learning languages, and travelling.

Co-Lead Editor
Daria Bogolyubova
(she/her)
Daria is pursuing an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies at the University of Oxford and graduated with First Class Honours, ranking first in her cohort, in BA International Relations from Lancaster University. Since June 2024, she has worked as a consultant on Asia Society’s Global Public Opinion on China project and previously completed a year-long research internship with NATO security specialists Archipelago of Design. Her research interests include geopolitics and Chinese engagement in Eurasia. She speaks English and Russian at an advanced level, Spanish at an intermediate level, and Mandarin at a lower-intermediate level.

Vice-Head of Events
Freja Hulehøj Notman
(she/her)
Freja holds a BA in European Studies from Maastricht University and is completing an MSc in Political Science at Leiden, where her research examines safeguarding in MDB infrastructure development across Asia. She studied Chinese at NTNU in Taipei and currently works as a research analyst in the private sector. Her experience spans research and programming for high-level clients and organisations, alongside projects on EU border governance, peacebuilding, and refugee support in Cyprus. English–Danish by background, she has organised panels and partnerships across Europe and is motivated by practical, evidence-led policy. Through European Guanxi, she is committed to fostering nuanced dialogue on EU–China relations.

Vice-Head of Events
(she/her)
Ilaria is currently serving as an International Civil Servant at an Italian NGO in Beijing, China, supporting people with disabilities and fostering international cooperation. She holds a dual Master’s degree in International Relations from LUISS University and China Foreign Affairs University. She gained professional experience across Europe and Asia in the field of international economics and global development, working for start-ups and international organizations.

Vice-Head of the Podcast Team
Imogen Parsley
(she/her)
Imogen is a China Studies scholar at Yenching Academy of Peking University, with a concentration in law and sociology. She previously received a BA in Chinese Studies from the University of Cambridge, where she spent her third year at National Taiwan Normal University developing Mandarin fluency. Keen to explore China's regulatory and policy spheres, she is currently interning at DeHeng Law Offices in Beijing and is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Shapers Beijing II Hub.

Vice-Head of the Partnerships and Fundraising Team
(she/her)
Agnes Monti is a young professional working in development cooperation. Her main interests lie in the analysis of changes and prospects for development policy in a multipolar decarbonising world in which China is an important player. She has a background in International Relations, Development Studies, and Political Economy.

