Reports

Ms Martina Branconi

Ms Martina Branconi

Martina Branconi served as the Regulatory Affairs Manager at British American Tobacco, a multinational company headquartered in the UK. She is a public affairs professional known for her creative and self-motivated approach to lobbying and regulatory engagement. With more than eight years at BAT, Branconi developed deep expertise in tobacco-related regulatory frameworks and had a central role in managing the company’s interactions with policymakers and regulators, particularly around tobacco harm reduction and smokeless tobacco products. Her work has focused on advocating for BAT’s interests in the policy domain, shaping regulatory environments favorable to BAT’s product portfolio

Martina Branconi’s lobbying efforts were intricately connected to advancing British American Tobacco’s strategic interests within the UK and broader European regulatory regimes. BAT’s true and underlying intention has been to influence tobacco control policies in ways that protect and potentially expand its market opportunities, especially amidst increasing regulatory scrutiny and public health campaigns against smoking. Branconi’s role involved advocating for policies that recognize tobacco harm reduction, supporting the regulation of smokeless tobacco and novel nicotine products as alternatives to cigarettes, and seeking frameworks that offer BAT competitive advantages.

Her lobbying aimed to balance regulatory compliance with strategic product positioning, ensuring BAT’s innovations and existing products remain viable commercially. This also included counteracting regulations considered excessively restrictive or detrimental to BAT’s business model, while promoting discussions around scientific evidence supporting newer tobacco products. Given the UK’s significant influence on EU regulations pre-Brexit and continued cooperation post-Brexit, Branconi’s lobbying extended to influencing EU policymakers to align frameworks with BAT’s business objectives, reinforcing BAT’s presence and growth in European markets

Martina Branconi’s lobbying activities primarily centered on engaging with legislators, regulatory agencies, and public health officials across the UK and EU to promote British American Tobacco’s interests. She participated in numerous meetings with EU politicians and regulatory bodies where the discussions focused on tobacco regulation, product approvals, and harm reduction strategies. These engagements often preceded or coincided with key regulatory developments, such as the EU Tobacco Products Directive and discussions on novel nicotine delivery systems.

Her appointments typically involved briefing policymakers on BAT’s scientific research, economic contributions, and regulatory compliance measures to influence policy outcomes favorably. Through public affairs and direct lobbying, Branconi advocated for regulatory approaches that acknowledged the evolving landscape of tobacco products, aiming to position BAT as a responsible corporate actor committed to harm reduction.

Though exact details of all meetings are not publicly disclosed, the timing and nature of regulatory changes in tobacco product rules within the EU suggest that lobbying efforts like Branconi’s played a part in shaping more nuanced regulations that differentiate between combustible cigarettes and lower-risk alternatives, reflecting BAT’s lobbying objectives. Her role also extended to public communications, conferences, and stakeholder dialogues that reinforced BAT’s position in debates on tobacco control policy

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