I’m no feminist, says Euro company boss and global guru Ines Pires - but hopes her own success story in the often male dominated corporate world will inspire other women

A real belief in herself and a quest for excellence in networking, education and culture, has spurred on global economics guru Ines Pires in her hugely successful 20-year career. This Brussels-based wife, mother and diplomat combined is a respected figure in world economy, politics and the corporate scene.

In the month when International Women’s Day was celebrated, her own story shines out as an example to high-reaching females everywhere. Besides being an enthusiasm-driven professional, Ines Pires also ensures the time to be a loving wife and doting mother. She admits to being no feminist.

“I’m not a feminist at all. I believe in the contribution of each of us for society, male and female, but I also recognise that my story may inspire a lot of women.”

What a breathtaking two decades it’s been for Ines, the daughter of a high profile Portuguese banker. A renown international consultant and strategist, not to mention much sort after speaker and author, Ines Pires has advised heads of state and ministries in 17 countries - including China, Russia and the Arab states. She speaks eight languages and is currently learning Arabic. Music’s also played a big part in her life. As a jazz lover, she used to be lead singer with a band called Café ou Chá. Sadly time just doesn’t allow her to perform publicly anymore but for sheer personal pleasure, Ines still plays guitar and piano.

Today, among her many other executive roles, Ines is founder and president of the ISPD Group, Consultancy and Skills in the Belgian capital Brussels, where she primarily acts as international advisor to companies and governments globally. [See https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrNDaU6TDMhJTU6_7yG6Muw].

Born in the beautiful Portuguese archipelago of Madeira Ines Pires, now 42, gained a BA at the Universidade Lusíada de Lisboa in Economics, International Economics and Business before taking her MA in International Politics at the Université Paris Sud (Paris XI) to be followed by a post-graduate degree at Milan’s Istituto Europeo di Design in Communication, Image, Protocol and Ceremonial. Ines then went on to take a doctorate in Cross Cultural Design at IADE - Creative University in Lisbon where she was first a post graduate student in Communication and Marketing in 2000. Ines continues to be a member of the Harvard Business School.

Ines Pires spent 16 years as an official of the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg - as a respected consultant in International Affairs, Communication and Corporate Diplomacy Strategies worldwide, advising various governments and foreign affairs ministries. In the private sector, Ines’s consultant talent has been sought out by Forbes 500 companies and helped their development in a variety of ways. She founded ISPD Protocol and Diplomacy and the International Association in Diplomacy Network in 2010.

A brilliant communicator, her passion is people and manages her home life in balance with that of concept designer, author and public speaker. She’s married with a two-year son and is expecting a second child in September.

“I married late because of my career but always wanted to be a good mother - I make time for that despite travelling like crazy but it’s a natural job, being a mother, and I’m so proud of my two-year-old as he already speaks English, Portuguese and German well enough,” Ines enthuses.

A large part of her passion began with interior design - Ines Pires is founder and CEO of ISPD Protocol and Diplomacy, and the Ines Pires Gallery website goes a long way towards explaining her strong belief that “balance begins at home.”

“Our mission is to provide the highest level of expertise, European academic standards and guidance in multidisciplinary projects. As a result, all of our experts are renowned practitioners and researchers committed to excellence,” she explains.

The ISPD mandate is making international high reputation essential to business results. It does that by providing tailor-made services and solutions for companies, governments and their institutions, as well as to non-governmental organisations and private companies in order to enable them to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

“For a conscious worker and a contemporary human being it is necessary to combine comfort, lifestyle and charisma,” says Ines. As a professional organiser and concepts researcher, she quickly saw early on in her career that the standard in professional events in Brussels left something to be desired. She set out to change that, with huge success and personal reward.

“The excellence of what an official event should be was totally underrated,” she says. Brussels citizens’ needed encounters, networking and solutions - what Ines terms cross cultural lifestyles. Which is why, at the very heart of the Belgian capital, ISPD Protocol and Diplomacy provides spaces for seminars, debates, incentives, product presentation, society receptions, exhibition, business meetings, management gatherings, press conferences, presentations, photo shoots, filming location, corporate lunches, breakfast and dinners, design events, society reception, training and more. The company even have designer apartments available for short or long term let.
Exclusive or Nothing are the standards of the renowned ISPD Protocol and Diplomacy who have trained and provided consultancy services for leaders from a staggering 96 countries worldwide.

“I’ve worked hard my life, that is true. I have big beliefs and a vision now of the successful re-launch of the non-profit Think Tank Innovation in Diplomacy Fund - part of the innovation in diplomacy network. I looked around and saw that a lot of people involved in my ventures were amazing - researchers and lots of other talented people. But the problem was that they had lack of access to real know how.

“So, as the sole association in corporate diplomacy, I’m now actively proposing new global research into innovations in diplomacy, particularly the role of AI, corporate diplomacy, new international businesses, ethics and so on. I want to bring my high end network together and to build this think tank into something special.”

ends.

Ines Pires is available for interview. Images are available.

Notes for media:

About Ines Pires - PhD Researcher, MA, PG, BA.

Chair of the ISPD Group and President of the Innovation in Diplomacy Network, based in Europe, with members across 103 countries.

Chair of the ISPD Protocol and Diplomacy Institute, the Leading European and International Institute solely dedicated to Soft Diplomacy, Protocol, Corporate Diplomacy and Cross Cultural Relations.

CEO of Per4ma.

Council Member of the Global Communication Center established by Chinese Culture Promotion Society, Shanghai, China.

Advisor to the Diwan Royal Court in Muscat.

Former Head of Cabinet of the Vice President of the European Parliament, Advisor on External Affairs, Education and Culture, Brussels, Belgium.
Former Economics Journalist of the newspaper Independente covering international branding.

Former Advisor for Kremlin Protocol Officers on Reputation, Nation Branding in Moscow.

Former Protocol, Nation Branding and Education Advisor for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs East Timor.

Honoured with the Medal of the State Council of the Sultanate of Oman.
Awarded an entrepreneurship Innovation Distinction by the President of the Portuguese Republic, Prof. Aníbal Cavaco Silva.

Mentor of the Master on Image and Political consultancy of the UCJC and Academia Iberoamericana de Gobernantes - OEA, Madrid, Spain.

Advisor to different European agencies including FRONTEX, ECHA and ESMA.
Strategic Communication Advisor for the Institute of Finance for the Portuguese Speaking Countries based in Luanda, Angola

Author of various niche best seller publications such as Protocol and Diplomacy Today - A collection of thoughts by leading experts, The Value of Learning Protocol: International Business Success Effortless, Cross-Cultural Management: Are You Awakened? as well as various geopolitical business, corporate diplomacy and international policy papers.

Member of the International Professional Body for Economists.
Board Member of several worldwide organisations and advisor to a host of Fortune 500 companies.

Keynote speaker in different conferences globally including that hosted by Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi, Masdar; Ministry of Foreign Affairs of more than 100 countries; Expo Dubai 2020; Eventology; and the Public Affairs Council in Washington, among many others.

Ines Pires has organised more than 250 official events in 17 countries - mainly in Europe, Middle East, Far East Asia (China and Japan) and Southeast Asia. She has also led projects in more than 90 countries. She has appeared in various international media, some of which can be seen on YouTube channel ISPD+ Innovation in Diplomacy.

About ISPD:

ISPD Group is an organisation born out of the need for an academic institution that prepares and certifies professionals in the fields of International Procedures, Corporate & Soft Diplomacy, Business Protocol, Security and Cross Cultural Intelligence. Nevertheless, we grew into a company which currently owns six brands: Innovation in Diplomacy, Protocol and Diplomacy, Security & Governance, Impact, Franchise & Licenses and Skills. Each brand was developed to deliver a value to a specific audience in the most accurate way possible.

Since its establishment in 2010, ISPD was built on a set of values that it continues to uphold today:

Autonomy - We defend freedom of thought and expression and the independence of ISPD in the exercise of its expertise.

Excellence - To the ISPD team self-transcendence is constitutive of our professional services and our experts are committed to excellence and contributing to the results of our stakeholders.

Openness, respect and diversity - By the diversity of its clients, stakeholders, service providers ISPD has created new forms of interaction across borders.

The Board of Directors of the Innovation in Diplomacy Network consists of professionals who bring a wealth of knowledge, skills, and experience of matchmaking relations to our members.

The Board of Directors develops the plans, the policy objectives, and the future strategy of the community and sees that Innovation in Diplomacy resources are managed efficiently. It aims to improve the relations across borders on a multitude of levels, and to contribute to the success of its member’s professional objectives.

It is crucial for companies to keep up to date with the latest developments in business, trade and investment issues and to meet with people who are business diplomacy experts. The most effective way of doing so is by becoming a member of the Innovation in Diplomacy Network.

Innovation in Diplomacy Network is the first and only global community in Corporate Diplomacy in the world, designed for companies, individuals and organisations engaged in doing business and partnerships globally. The needs in negotiating globally, understanding local issues related to their activities and projects and develop stakeholders is our day to day.

In emerging and developing countries, political and security environments are sometimes complex and can change rapidly. Diplomacy Skills are essential to survive in both business, relationships and business opportunities.

Our network, a global non-profit organisation, was created in 2008 as a pilot study and established in 2010 in Europe in Brussels, in the heart of Europe, the home of key European Institutions. The need was visionary, as 2010 started the discussions in professional skills necessary for companies that wanted to go global. ISPD+ was born and it started its evolution towards a community-based network of the highest level of stakeholders where those skills and support are given.

Over the past 10 years the ISPD+ has focused on organising Innovation in Diplomacy-related events: lunches with high-level officials around the world, eSeminars on topics ranging from investment tools for across markets to business opportunities for growing companies, eSkills learning and meetings with multi-national economic delegations.

The Innovation in Diplomacy Network is also increasingly involved in offering support to companies, particularly multinationals and SMEs, interested in internationalisation and growing their businesses, by attending online forums, training interventions for their international teams, exposure, matchmaking events and trade fairs in tailor-made preferential markets. In addition to the services already mentioned above, the Innovation in Diplomacy Network also helps its members with referrals, business matching and identification of experienced partners in those markets.

ISPD Europe
16, Rue de Pascale 16
Brussels, Belgium.
Call: +32 2 830 12 22
Email: management@ispdnetwork.org
Website: http://ispdnetwork.org/

All media enquiries for Ines Pires call:

Graham Garnett at SomethingToShoutAbout EA UK +44 7940 361721
Email: wordsmithgginnorwich@mail.co.uk

This release was published on openPR.