Paolo Grassia

As Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy at Connect Europe, Paolo oversees the organization’s institutional engagement on a variety of policy issues, including cybersecurity, privacy and data protection, and the data economy. He currently serves on the boards of the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) and the European Internet Forum (EIF).

Paolo joined Connect Europe as Head of Regulatory Affairs in 2017 after working in the economic section of the United States Mission to the EU, where he served as a policy advisor focusing on technology, telecommunications, and data privacy. Prior to that, he was a consultant at two Brussels-based firms, advising global companies with a particular emphasis on technology and telecommunications. He began his career with internships at DG COMP in the European Commission and in the EU affairs team at Telecom Italia.

Paolo holds a Master’s degree from Bocconi University in Milan and participated in an exchange program at Seoul National University. He is a Certified Information Privacy Professional and Manager, accredited by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). Additionally, he recently completed an Advanced Program in Cyber Security and Governance at the TIAS School for Business and Society, affiliated with Tilburg University and Eindhoven University of Technology.