Without a coherent narrative, any advocacy is dead in the water: Thaima Samman

Thaima Samman is a woman who wears multiple hats.   

A member of the Paris and Brussels Bars, Thaima founded the public affairs law firm Samman Law & Corporate Affairs in 2010.   

Thaima began her career as a founding member of a prominent NGO before joining the office of Claude Bartolone, former Minister and former President of the National Assembly.  

Thaima has received the distinction of Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honor) and Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite (Knight of the National Order of Merit). She co-founded the European Network for Women in Leadership, a blue-ribbon panel of women in high-level positions from the world of business, academia, and government.   

A member of the Advisory Board of the FIPRA Network, and regional lead for its European units, Thaima shares in this interview highlights from her illustrious career merging public affairs, government relations and law.  

Thaima: I have always been committed to taking action to improve society. It led me to become a founding member and Vice President for international relations of the prominent French NGO SOS Racisme union and the Vice President of the main students union. I then joined the staff of former Minister and Head of the National Assembly Claude Bartolone, who became one of my mentors and remains a good friend.   

After more than a decade on the ground, I passed the Paris Bar and joined the French business law firm August & Debouzy, whose most important clients were seeking government relations & public affairs support. I very early on saw the necessity to reconcile public affairs and law. Soon enough, I was tasked to develop their corporate affairs department.  

In 2003, I joined Microsoft France, creating and leading the legal and corporate affairs department before being promoted Associate General Counsel within Microsoft International, designing and executing the institutional relations, public affairs and corporate social responsibility policies for the EMEA region including the supervision of the Brussels office.  

After 10 years with Microsoft, I opened one of the very few French public affairs law firms, present in both Paris and Brussels, where we strive to offer our clients a combined expertise in public and corporate affairs, institutional relations, and the law. 

Thaima: One of the first most memorable achievements I can remember was a change in the encryption legislative and regulatory framework. In some legal and regulatory circles, encryption is considered as a fourth category war weapon. Our public affairs strategy succeeded in changing the regulation for encryption to become business friendly for both providers and users.  

In order to do so, we built a coalition of Fench and foreign companies, users and suppliers, wrote a white paper, and surveyed 150 top French companies. Thanks to the advocacy strategy we designed and implemented, part of the administration finally started using our arguments and assumed ownership of the project.  

Over the past two legislative terms, we worked for two clients who are leaders in 3D software solutions and online advertising. We created and shared a holistic narrative for these clients, helping them reach out to policy makers while also taking into account the legislative criteria. Without a coherent narrative, any advocacy is dead in the water.  

We demonstrated the economic contribution of each business and demystified common misperceptions around their business models. Conversations on the relevant policy issues are much easier when the benefits of the business are already recognised.  

This strategy takes time and requires commitment from senior leadership. However, it pays dividends. The executives now regularly interact with the institutions, participating in and providing inputs into their thinking process on forthcoming legislation.  

Thaima: The French system of governance is hybrid in that it is both presidential and parliamentary with a centralised decision-making power. It is today disrupted by the new digital world, globalisation and by extension the complexity of influence and public decision-making.   

It is therefore not surprising that it has undergone a profound shake-up these past 15 years, culminating with the election of Emmanuel Macron in May 2017 and the collapse or significant weakening of the traditional political parties (socialist, right and center-right parties) which had taken turns sharing power since the 60s.    

France is entering into an eventful political season with two key elections looming: the presidential election that will be held next April, followed by the legislative elections in June. Regardless of who wins, the legislative and executive branches should come out profoundly renewed. The upcoming elections are subject to many variables and unknowns; and open the possibility of a parliamentary majority of a different political composition than the President-elect.  

In that particular context, France will hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU from January to June 2022, which should focus on the economic and social consequences of the pandemic, with a view to strengthen European social and health projects.  

Thaima: As a member of the Advisory Board of the FIPRA Network, and regional lead for its European units, I feel it is particularly beneficial for our clients to be able to find in our Network excellent public affairs partners in the EU and worldwide.   

With our units across the globe, our clients are ensured the same level of support for which they trust us in France. We find in FIPRA the necessary expertise and intelligence, no matter which sector or the needs of our client. We are also happy to provide our knowledge to our FIPRA colleagues.   

Collectively, we are smarter and more efficient.