Julia Barthel

“In today’s business world, connectivity is more important than ever. In my daily job, I work with colleagues across Europe, no matter where they are based. This sense of European citizenship is very special to me: Born in the GDR, I grew up in a part of Germany that was just discovering openness. I was raised to make the most of those values – and not to take them for granted. With this mindset, I went to school in France, spent a year of social service in Italy, interned at EU institutions, and am today working for a global company headquartered in the UK. The European idea has shaped my personal life and my career. And it taught me that we thrive through connectivity.