‘I would find it hard to justify holding political positions if I worked for any of our competitors with their confidential client lists’
2020-01-30
Three quick questions to Mattias Keresztesi, senior consultant and associate partner at New Republic, about making the switch from head of policy at the Moderate Party’s Parliamentary Secretariat to strategic adviser.
Only a year ago you were the Moderate Party’s head of policy. Are there any similarities between that role and your current one as a strategic adviser and consultant?
– As the Moderate Party’s head of policy, I was in charge of the policy advisers at the Parliamentary Secretariat. An important part of the work was to constantly remind them of our promises to the voters, that everything we do must be in the direction of our overarching goals. That way of working is also of central importance at New Republic. Our advice is based on management by objectives, work that needs to begin at the management level. Only when everyone in a company or an organisation is in agreement on where they want to go will the results come. The other clear similarity is the need to be constantly abreast of what is happening in the world and societal development from an analytical perspective.
What are the differences?
– Politics is often about seeking conflict; at New Republic, we generally work to reconcile conflicts. It is truly inspiring when reform proposals are so good and well thought out that they are able to unite actors who are usually adversaries. Previously, it was my responsibility to help colleagues hugely knowledgeable about various issues to navigate using the same map. Now I need to be able to read and understand several maps at the same time, and more often than not to help redraw them.
You are active as a local politician in the City of Stockholm. Is that compatible with your role as a consultant who often advises on political matters?
– New Republic’s management encourages civic participation also alongside work. We are open about which clients we do advocacy work for, and therefore my credibility can be easily examined by both New Republic’s clients and those I meet in my role as a lay politician. But I understand the question. Personally, I would find it hard to justify holding political positions if I worked for any of our competitors with their confidential client lists.
Mattias Keresztesi was interviewed by Olle Schubert, CEO of New Republic. ‘Three Quick Questions…’ is a series of interviews conducted by New Republic.