A Belgian citizen and now a retired EU senior official, he began his career with the UN and the World Bank, then worked for nearly three decades at the EU External Service, with assignments in four continents. In recent years Alain has focused on complexity and how to look at things from another angle, including the role of artists for social change. A fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar, a member of the Club of Rome (EU Chapter), a Global Ambassador of Kosmos Journal, and a TEDx speaker. He is also a long standing practitioner of collective intelligence techniques.