DECEMBER 2019

27. NOVEMBER 2019

Yes, the European Commission was voted into office today. And today, six years ago, ERSTE LESUNG GMBH was founded.

Founder and owner Christian Wenning is quite happy on this anniversary of a well-positioned company that made its very first steps in 2011 – long before the GmbH-status. However, Glückwunsch to ourselves and keep on booking services from your international Germans in Brussels and Berlin.

13. SEPTEMBER 2019

Since this summer, the Brussels team has received energetic and motivated support from two new colleagues. Zita Massing joined the team in August 2019 as Public Affairs Executive. She is already an old hand in Brussels and has completed numerous internships, including one at the Representation of the European Commission in Marseille and another one at the Representation of the State of Hesse in Brussels. She also completed her master’s degree in European Studies with a focus on European Politics in the heart of the European Union in Brussels.

Since September 2019, Hanja Runge has also arrived in Brussels and she too will strengthen the team as Public Affairs Executive. Hanja studied law in Berlin and subsequently moved to Lisbon, Portugal, for her Master of International Relations. She gained professional experience as a project manager at the German Youthpress Association. 

The whole Brussels team is looking forward to a good cooperation! 

07. MAY 2018

Again a regional Parliament. Even before completing the regular internship period, Jason took a job in NRW, where he works as parliamentary assistant. Erste Lesung thanks him for his great work and wishes all the best for his further path. Below an authentic report about his time with us. 

Jonas Rex-Quincke  

While I was still studying political science, I got involved with consulting in the political field and could hardly wait to finally put my theoretical knowledge into practice. Nevertheless, my start at Erste Lesung was very spontaneous - symbolic of the work that awaited me in the Brussels office in the coming months. 

As a relatively young company, Erste Lesung draws its strength from the flexibility and ideas of its employees - everyone can and shall contribute and every professional opinion is valued. As a new team member I was immediately involved and not only entrusted with low-level internship-tasks. The demands on the individual daily work are high, but so are the appreciation and the continuous feedback, both of which should be emphasised in this context and both of which are helpful especially at the beginning. Channels of communication are short - even the almost 800 km from and to Berlin are easily bridged in daily collaboration. 

The announcement that one would be thrown in at the deep end has been more than confirmed. Faster than could have been the case in any other place, I was introduced to a demanding consulting role. The often ill-reputed Brussels "bubble" is an ideal starting point for a career. Paradoxically, working and communicating outside one´s own company is quite collegial - one can get ahead and work gets done faster than in Düsseldorf or Berlin. An independent and secure dealing with decision-makers and interest groups, who one otherwise only experiences at panel discussions or on television, becomes inevitably a matter of course. 

The variety of topics and developments means that deadlines are sometimes not calculated in days but in hours and minutes. However, recognition and appreciation for demanding work are not given everywhere in this environment - at Erste Lesung, this is the case.

14. OCTOBER 2016

How do politics and business influence each other? After finishing my degree in Economics, I was keen to examine this question, as I also wanted to learn more about legislative processes. I thought applying for an internship at Erste Lesung would provide me with this opportunity. And I wasn’t wrong! During my internship, I gained first-hand experience of the interactions between business and politics from a consultancy’s point of view.

Erste Lesung wants to prepare interns optimally for their future professional life. Hence, I was directly involved in the work of the teams in Brussels and Berlin. I obtained a comprehensive overview of the several services offered by public affairs agencies and undertook a broad range of tasks. I contributed with my own ideas to specific projects in several fields, such as digital, energy or consumer protection. But I also had the chance to get in touch with clients and implement smaller projects independently. Additionally, I was fond of being constantly confronted with new and sometimes complex topics and issues. Due to the learning-by-doing approach, I could test concepts that helped me learn essential practices in policy-related work. At the same time, I also received many helpful tips, constant feedback and great network-building support from the team.

Especially the amazing cooperation within the team, as well as the dynamic, flexible and creative corporate culture of Erste Lesung have made my internship a great experience. Moreover, the fast pace, the high commitment and performance, the direct contact with decision-makers, and the international and interdisciplinary working environment have positively shaped my experience. Therefore, I would like to thank the entire team for the instructive, inspiring and exciting time at Erste Lesung!

23. FEBRUARY 2016

22. FEBRUARY 2016

Hanno leaves for Bavaria

From having started as a Public Affairs Executive at ERSTE LESUNG to directly becoming a research assistant in the Landtag of Bavaria: After one and a half years, Hanno is heading for new shores and exchanges Berlin for Erlangen, political communications in an agency for regional politics. For Alexandra Hiersemann, Member of the Bavarian Landtag, he will become an expert for citizen participation and legal affairs in no time. Good luck and „Ois Guade“ in the South, dear Hanno!

22. JANUARY 2016

Simon moves to Zurich

„It’s time for more mountains and fondue again”, thought Simon. Said and done: After more than five years in Brussels, including one eventful year at ERSTE LESUNG, he returned back to his home country Switzerland. As Consultant Finance & Accounting at Randstad Professionals and founder of “Create Value - The CV Writing Company”, he will certainly climb the next mountain soon. Not without envy the ERSTE LESUNG team whishes all the best for the new start in Zurich!

18. JANUARY 2016

Successful positioning and high quality events do not only require a thorough political understanding as well as organisational talent and a sound network. 

Crucial for the visibility as well as public and political perception is a well-designed visual and conceptual outline. 

Erste Lesung thus offers creative support:

• Invitations 
• Brochures
• Infographics
• Presentations 
• Dossiers 
• Newsletters
• Motion Design

14. JANUARY 2016

For a project to succeed, it is vital to closely follow the public and political discourse because even slight changes, e.g. in public acceptance might have direct consequences for future decisions. Naturally, the same applies to changes in the legislative framework at both the national and the EU level.

Erste Lesung provides extensive monitoring 
in Germany and at the EU level, including:

• National, regional 
• and local press
• Legislative and 
• non-legislative processes
• Political agendas
• Events

19. SEPTEMBER 2015

What a year! And what moving costs…

After having spent a few months in an office-building in Brussels, Christian got a call from a friend telling him an 3-room office space with kitchen elevator a small garden would be available at Square de Meeûs for quite the same price. We had to, so we did. The Grand Opening with food and drinks over a speech of EP's Vice-President Rainer Wieland MEP was held in a damp night in September. A long process of construction, renovation, investment has come to an end, so far.  

19. MARCH 2015

Brussels as EU capital is in the heart of Europe: Commission, Parliament and Council are the at the origin of any future policies. To serve our clients with an active network to Members of the European Parliament, EU-officials and representatives, we have opened a brand new office. Our EU-experts Clara Salarich-Ortega und Simon Reiser are now representing Erste Lesung just about a stone’s throw away from the European Parliament.