About Our Founder
Elizabeth
Linder
Linder
Elizabeth Linder has been at the forefront of modern corporate diplomacy since the dawn of the social media revolution , representing U.S. and international firms at the head-of-state, ministerial, and national political levels across 59 countries.
The originator of the Chief Diplomatic Officer role, she founded Brooch Associates to bring intellectual firepower and diplomatic fluency to organisations navigating international expansion. Headquartered in London with offices in Coral Gables and the Napa Valley, Brooch operates across two complementary practices: a corporate diplomacy advisory and an experiential division, Experiences by Brooch.
Elizabeth began her career at Google and YouTube before joining Facebook, where she served as the company's first "Secretary of State," founding and building the Politics & Government division across the Europe, Middle East & Africa region. She was a first-person witness to the full arc of what happens when disruption mythology becomes corporate doctrine. The CDO concept is the alternative she built in response.
She later led the nation branding division at Beautiful Destinations, working with Ministers of Tourism from Panama to Morocco, Jamaica to the European Union. She is a Princeton graduate and holds a Distinction in the Wine & Spirits Education Trust Exam Levels II and III, having led wine education salons at Berry Brothers & Rudd, London's oldest wine merchant.
Established in 2020, Brooch was founded by Elizabeth Linder and three Principals: Dr. Stefanie Babst, Ambassador Patricia Haslach, and Jolana Vainio.
With headquarters in London as well as offices at the iconic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida and the Napa Valley, California, Brooch's client portfolio ranges from family offices and philanthropic organizations to high-growth tech companies and national governments. Brooch specializes in the facilitation of board meetings, executive retreats, and leadership seminars as well as coaches individuals and organizations seeking a thought partner for setting strategy, widening networks, and creating memorable experiences to further their missions.
Ambassador Haslach specializes in global trade, international development, and conflict stabilization across geostrategically complex regions. A career U.S. diplomat, she served as Ambassador to Ethiopia and Laos, Acting Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs, and coordinated the U.S. transition from military to civilian operations in Iraq. She works with Brooch clients to construct and solidify national reputation-building across political, governmental, and third-sector circles.
Dr. Babst specializes in anticipatory policymaking — bringing together the art of strategic foresight with the practice of public diplomacy. The first highest-ranking German woman in NATO's International Secretariat, she spent 22 years advising the Secretary General on strategic unknowns and global trends across NATO Summits and international crises. She is a Board Member of the German Council on Foreign Relations and the Danish Center for War Studies.
Jolana Vainio specializes in discerning communications, agile leadership, and decisive consensus-building across internationally complex networks. Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the St. James's Roundtable at Chatham House, she is instrumental in defining Brooch's strategic development and looks after the firm's global network of advisors and client portfolio. Her background spans Silicon Valley public relations, five languages, and civic engagement from San Francisco to Berlin.
Direct enquiries welcomed for advisory engagements, speaking bookings, and media appearances.