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Rogier Elshout

Rogier Elshout

A little roguish, but always a gentleman.

Rogier Elshout

I moderate your event professionally en safeguard the goals, atmosphere and content. With humor, up-tempo and always interactive. Without predictable statements or dreadful monologues. 

Focus on ‘return on investment’
High speed, dense content. Light tone, but dives deep into the content.
Brings dry topics to life and complicated matter back to the core
always interactive

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years full time moderator

100+

events annually

years EU experience

chameleon.

Rogier does any kind of event. On any topic. "One day I'm facilitating a small, very serious meeting and the next day I host an award show. One day I have an event on health care, the next day on using EU satellite data in development cooperation. The only constant factor that I always adjust methods, atmosphere, energy level and even my clothing to fit the event."

dry topics to life.

Rogier's talent is to bring dry topics to live and complicated matter back to the essence. "By making the abstract concrete, use examples and taking things into absurdity, it is not only less boring, it also helps to find the controversy and put it on the table."

Brussels bubbles.

Rogier is the moderator of the talkshow Brussels bubbles."The Brussels Bubble is exiting. I want to show that to the world. And events in Brussels are often boring panels or bacchanals. We bring politainment. I want to show that entertainment and content strengthen each other. And hosting your own talkshow is a dream come true."

Fueling the future summit - Hydrogen

Rogier Elshout is a real professional. With great confidence you can leave him on stage. Rogier creates interaction, asks the right questions and is well prepared.

Daphne van Meer - management productions

Rogier moderated an event on drugs smuggling at the Maritime Museum in Rotterdam, in which I participated in as a speaker. With lots of positive energy, authentic interest in both the subject, the guests and the audience, he made the evening very interesting as well as entertaining.

Eurojust - Cecilia Thorfinn, Head of the Corporate Communications Unit, Eurojust

It was pleasure working with Rogier. Both throughout the preparation period and during the performance of the programme, Rogier was very involved and enthusiastic. He was thoroughly prepared. He got people energized, made discussions light heartedly when needed, but always kept the right tone for the occasion. The topic –military interventions- was difficult and sensitive, but he focused the debate perfectly. Rogier is very good at sensing the atmosphere, he reacts fast and appropriate to this. He gave people the room to vent, but never lost control. Above all, it was a perfect evening.

De Balie Amsterdam - Zara - programmemaker

Rogier moderated the Let’s Talk about your Future talkshow very well. This event with minister Kaag (foreign trade & development) was organized by Studium Generale together with Maastricht Working on Europe on the 15th of May 2019. Although the turnout appeared to be quite low, which normally makes it quite challenging to get an audience enthusiastic, Rogier handled the situation with great accuracy. With extra energy Rogier stirred up the audience. This created a great atmosphere with a lot of interaction. The evening ended with interesting discussions.

Maastricht University - Studium Generale

ABout Rogier Elshout
For YOUR BOOKLET
Biography

Professional moderator

After my studies in public administration and jobs in politics, local government and NGO's, I discovered that I feel more in place asking the questions than answering them. I became a full time, professional moderator. I was classically trained at the Dutch Debating Institute before registering as an independent. I moderate about 100 events annually: be it large or small, in depth discussion or a slick show, for business, NGO's or governments. On any possible topic. Like a chameleon I adjust to the topic, setting and audience. I always operate with the goal of my assignment in mind.

13 years EU experience

When I was 18 I discovered the European Union as policy & political Valhalla. I focused my studies on it (my thesis is about how the EC reacts to protests (spoiler: they don't really knew how to handle it)) and I became the Dutch EU youth representative. The EU never seized to fascinate me. I moderate many debates about European topics, moderate European events and interview dutch MEPS regularly. I also co-founded Brussels Bubbles. The monthly talkshow where EU insiders tell their stories from the Brussels Bubble, in an attempt to make EU policy making more accessible and juicy.

I founded moderating EU because most events in the EU bubbles are so incredibly boring. With long monologues, off topic discussions and taking long out of courtesy. That can be made so much better. Faster, in topic, sharp and fun. And much more result oriented. Thereby, By combining my 'Dutch way of working' with "European sensitivity' I hope to contribute to a better Europe.

A little roguish, but always a gentleman

My style is direct, with humor, and fast. I have very little patience for conventions, beating about the bush and 'lets give that person a key note because he is important'. But i have a lot of respect for the audience, sensitivities and reaching your goals. I like to ask the questions everybody wants but does not dare to ask. I do not fully understand how, but i do not only manage to get away with it, I often manage to get people moving.

Never a dull moment

Besides my offices in Rotterdam and Brussels I also have an office in Kampala, Uganda. I can be hired for free to do charity auctions (may way of contributing, but mainly because i get to wear my tuxedo). I also chair a NGO that strives for more effective sanctions instead of the current prison system. I live in Rotterdam.