Alex Boyo Arias

Alex Boyo Arias serves as a Senior Government Affairs Manager at British American Tobacco, a leading global tobacco group established in 1902. BAT operates across more than 180 markets worldwide and engages in tobacco product manufacturing, marketing, and regulatory affairs with a strategic focus on transitioning smokers from combustible cigarettes to smokeless alternatives. Alex Boyo Arias, based in Brussels, is an expert in public and government affairs with significant experience, including previous advisory roles with Members of the European Parliament. His work specifically supports BAT’s EU relations efforts, operating from BAT’s Brussels office to navigate complex EU regulatory frameworks that impact the tobacco industry. His engagement concentrates on several legislative dossiers such as tobacco taxation directives, advertising and sponsorship restrictions, excise duties on tobacco products, and the broader policy environment toward tobacco regulation within the EU

As a Senior Government Affairs Manager at BAT in Brussels, Alex Boyo Arias’s lobbying efforts are intensely focused on shaping EU tobacco regulation to align with BAT’s business objectives. The lobbying agenda includes promoting BAT’s interests in legislative files such as the Directive 2014/40/EU on tobacco products, the Tobacco Advertising Directive, excise duty frameworks, and policies addressing illicit trade and tobacco taxation. His role involves advocating for balanced regulation that supports business sustainability while steering EU policies towards innovations in reduced-risk tobacco products, reflecting BAT’s strategic goal to become predominantly smokeless by 2035. This includes engaging with policymakers on regulatory burdens and excise tax structures to mitigate potential negative impacts on BAT’s market position in Europe.

Beyond apparent regulatory affairs, his lobbying intention also encompasses defending BAT’s market access against restrictive measures that could diminish product availability or market share in the EU. Through careful navigation of the EU policy landscape, including influence on the revision of customs codes and excise arrangements, Alex works to preserve BAT’s competitive edge. The complex regulatory environment of the EU requires detailed advocacy to maintain BAT’s evolving product portfolio and strategic interests, with an adaptable approach to upcoming policy changes on tobacco control and taxation that could inform BAT’s operational decisions and long-term competitiveness in the UK and EU markets

Alex Boyo Arias has been involved in a number of high-level meetings with European Commission officials and their cabinets to influence tobacco-related policymaking. Recorded meetings since 2014 through to 2025 include:

A stakeholder videoconference on the revision of tobacco taxation directives with DG Taxation and Customs Union officials in May 2022.
Discussions related to the economic climate in Kosovo at the Cabinet of Vice-President Johannes Hahn in October 2018, possibly linking tobacco business interests with broader trade and economic policies.
Participation in meetings on the revision of the European tobacco excise directive with DG Taxation and Customs Union in March 2017, targeting excise tax rates and structures affecting tobacco products.
Round-table events on regulatory burden reduction with the Cabinet of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans in January 2016.

These activities demonstrate an active and strategic presence in high-impact regulatory forums shaping the sector’s operational environment. By engaging with key EU policymakers and cabinet members, Alex’s work supports regulatory outcomes favorable to BAT’s business objectives, mitigating risks posed by stringent tobacco control directives while advancing adaptive regulatory frameworks that accommodate new tobacco product categories.

The effect of these lobbying efforts is observable in the ongoing adjustments to tobacco excise policies, taxation directives, and advertising regulations within the EU, where BAT has maintained a seat at the table influencing policy debates. This advocacy is crucial in shaping legislation that balances public health objectives with industry interests, providing BAT with regulatory clarity and business continuity across the European market, including the UK given BAT’s London headquarters

Based: Brussels, Belgium
Position: Senior Government Affairs Manager, British American Tobacco
LinkedIn Profile: Alex Boyo Arias – Government Affairs Manager (Brussels)
Company Headquarters: Globe House, Temple Place, London WC2R 2PG, United Kingdom
EU Office Address: Aarlenstraat 80 Rue d’Arlon, Brussels 1050, Belgium
Website: British American Tobacco Official Website
No direct phone number or personal emails publicly disclosed due to privacy and GDPR regulations.
Additional Social Media: Not publicly available or official professional presence primarily through LinkedIn