Elaine Cruikshanks

According to Hill and Knowlton in 2006:

Elaine Cruikshanks is Chair, Worldwide Public Affairs Practice/Chair and CEO Cont. Western Europe/CEO, Brussels, Hill & Knowlton International Belgium

Elaine Cruikshanks is chair of the firm's worldwide public affairs practice and the CEO of Hill & Knowlton International Belgium and chairman and CEO of Hill & Knowlton’s Continental European sub-region. (France, Germany and the Benelux)

Mrs. Cruikshanks worked in London as a retail business analyst with a management consultancy before joining the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (F.C.O.) in the Southern European Department in 1982.

She moved to Brussels in 1984 to assume the post of Second Secretary, External Trade at the U.K. Permanent Representation to the European Community; she worked on EC/US steel issues as well as external textiles regimes and EC/EFTA relations. On her return to London, she again worked in the European Community Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office until 1989.

Since joining Hill & Knowlton, Mrs. Cruikshanks has advised on a number of public policy issues. She has been involved in campaigning on behalf of multinationals as well as trade associations on environmental, consumer policy, and trade issues. Clients include Kelloggs, Motorola, Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola, and American Express.

Mrs. Cruikshanks attended the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, on behalf of the government of Botswana. She is now actively involved in the Diamonds for Development Campaign, working with the government of Botswana. She also successfully campaigned in favour of the EU/Turkey Customs Union on behalf of the Turkish government.

She has been CEO of the Belgian office of Hill & Knowlton since August 1994. In January 2001, Mrs. Cruikshanks was appointed chairman and CEO of Hill & Knowlton’s continental Western European sub-region covering France, Germany and the Benelux operations. In January 2004, Mrs. Cruikshanks was appointed director of Hill & Knowlton’s global public affairs practice.

Mrs. Cruikshanks is a former senior vice chairman of the AmCham EU, chairs the AMCHAM EU’s Communications Committee, and is a member of its Executive Committee.

An Honours Graduate of Glasgow University, Mrs. Cruikshanks speaks French and German.