Hélène Fiene

Hélène is a legal assistant specialising in the interplay between international law, geopolitics and global trade. She analyses how legal and economic instruments – such as sanctions, export controls and trade barriers – are used as tools of geopolitical pressure and how this affects companies doing business internationally.  

She gained practical experience during placements at an international law firm and a specialist boutique firm specialising in sanctions law and trade. She also worked in the Economic Affairs department of the Consulate-General in Chicago, where she gained an insight into Dutch-American economic diplomacy.  

Hélène obtained her Master’s degree in International Trade and Investment Law from the University of Amsterdam, with a thesis on the legitimacy of US secondary sanctions under international law. She further deepened her knowledge of the Chinese market during an intensive programme at Fudan University in Shanghai.