# The end of old-school influence: Why public affairs must leave the lobby — Voice Affairs 01

> For decades, public affairs relied on corridors. Influence was cultivated behind closed doors, in meetings, corridors, and quiet consultations.

Source: https://voice-sc.com/voice-affairs/issue-01/

Voice Affairs — Issue 01 · 25 July 2025

# The end of old-school influence: Why public affairs must leave the lobby

By Thomas Bell, CEO Bell Advisers

## The Briefing

Once a month, we publish an editorial on how influence works in Europe today, a legislative radar on what is moving in Brussels, and a note on the work behind it.
Written for the decision-maker’s chair, and for those who advise it.

Issue 01 · 25 July 2025

## The end of old-school influence: Why public affairs must leave the lobby

For decades, public affairs relied on corridors. Influence was cultivated behind closed doors, in meetings, corridors, and quiet consultations.

### Editorial

That model still exists, but it no longer defines the field.

In 2025, the environments where public opinion is shaped and where policy momentum builds have multiplied.

Influence now emerges not only in government offices but also across digital forums, stakeholder ecosystems, and data‑driven conversations.

Credibility is visible, strategies are scrutinized, and decisions are increasingly shaped by how well an organisation can position itself within broader narratives of relevance and trust

This shift doesn’t eliminate traditional tools; it demands that we reframe how and where influence happens.

Precision messaging, digital fluency, stakeholder visibility, and long‑horizon reputation strategy are now core pillars of modern public affairs.

Influence is no longer static: It’s networked.

This evolution brings new challenges, but also a deeper truth: Lasting influence comes not from access, but from alignment with public priorities, policy currents, and the strategic foresight to navigate.

Thomas Bell is CEO of Bell Advisers.

### Legislative Radar

02. Legislative radar: RED III in Italy

Status & context: Italy has formally transposed the revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) into national law, meeting the 21 may 2025 deadline required for Key provisions including sectoral targets and spatial planning guidelines. Despite this, compliance remains partial in critical areas, notably permitting acceleration and designation of Renewable acceleration areas (RAAs), raising concerns at the EU level.

#### Key milestones

* by June 2025, Italy submitted its updated NECP, aligning national strategy with EU targets and regulatory frameworks.

* however, in early July, the European Commission formally issued a letter of formal notice to Italy, alongside other Member States, regarding non-compliance with the EU methane Regulation and RED III permitting deadlines.

#### Sector targets now in force

* Italy must deliver a 42.5% share of renewables in gross final Energy consumption by 2030, with binding sectoral allocations. For hydrogen in industry, this includes a 42% RFNBO share by 2030 (60% by 2035).

* the government has committed to installing 3 GW of electrolyser capacity by 2030, with balanced deployment of green and blue hydrogen technologies.

#### Strategic implications for Energy companies

1. Compliance readiness: Companies must secure PPAs, RFNBO documentation, and hydrogen sourcing pathways. Those lacking alignment might risk both reputational and regulatory exposure.

2. Advocacy opportunity: Italy’s uneven enforcement of permitting acceleration and spatial planning provides a window to shape rule-making, particularly around RAAs and “overriding public interest” clauses. Visual policy tools are proving critical here!

3. Narrative positioning: As hydrogen supply chains and renewables assets become central policy discussion topics, proactive storytelling, from interactive engagement to advocacy strategies, will shape institutional perceptions and regulatory dialogues.

### Case study

#### Case study: RACE consulting - an energetic identity

In public affairs, visual content is not decoration; it’s a tool for clarity, resonance, and positioning. For RACE consulting, we built a brand identity designed to reflect their strength in Energy Regulation, their European orientation, and their strategic agility.

Our goal was to make complexity legible. The visual system we created combines precise geometry, a palette inspired by Energy transition, and custom iconography that translates technical subjects into intelligible, stakeholder-friendly formats.

From investor decks to social content, every element was designed to deliver credibility at first glance.

In this work, we weren’t just building a logo, we were shaping a narrative environment.

Because in a landscape defined by technical depth and institutional dialogue, strong visual storytelling isn’t optional.

It’s strategic capital.

### In case you missed it

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Let’s get RACE on your radar

A clear shot of innovation