Expert Spotlight | Isotta Ricci Bitti, Co-founder and Managing Director

APROPOS team
15 hours ago
3 min read

APROPOS team

Isotta Ricci Bitti is a political scientist dedicated to strengthening democracy through dialogue and better collaboration. As Co-founder and Managing Director of the APROPOS Group and Deputy Head of the Open European Dialogue, she has played a key role in designing and facilitating spaces where political leaders can engage in constructive, cross-party discussions.

Her expertise spans across migration and asylum policies, European human rights frameworks, and Political Process Design. She has worked extensively across Europe, with a particular focus on the Balkans and the Caucasus, conducting research, shaping policy conversations, and advising on the design of dialogue spaces for the political sector.

Over the past decade, Isotta has facilitated over 50 high-level political dialogues, bringing together policymakers, researchers, and civil society leaders to tackle some of Europe’s most pressing challenges. She has led strategic processes for the German Development Agency, Mayors Mechanism, the Robert Bosch Stiftung, and the European Parliament, with a particular focus on migration, organisational development, fundraising strategies and participatory decision-making.

In her work, she champions the idea that dialogue is not merely a “soft skill” but a fundamental pillar of democracy, one that requires intentional design, investment, and adaptation. She is currently leading efforts to build new tools and methodologies for political engagement, including tech-driven solutions that make dialogue more accessible and impactful.

She lives in Berlin with her partner and daughter, who often inspires her creative approach to collaboration.

Notable Projects

Open European Dialogue Platform

Isotta has played a central role in shaping the Open European Dialogue (OED), a pioneering platform designed to foster cross-party, cross-country political dialogue among Europe's parliamentarians. By providing a strategic infrastructure for think tank partners and policymakers, the platform enhances collaboration on pressing political challenges.

Join the Open European Dialogue

Policy Design Sprint: Innovating Parliamentary Oversight

As co-lead of the inaugural Policy Design Sprint, Isotta designed and facilitated discussions among parliamentarians from six European countries to tackle the challenges of parliamentary oversight during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through an intensive, hands-on process, participants developed innovative solutions to strengthen democratic accountability and crisis governance. The Policy Design Sprint is now a flagship initiative of the APROPOS Group, and a successful second edition on "AI and the future of the European workforce" was hosted in 2024.

Sprint with us!

Coalition for Dialogue and Collaboration in Politics

As part of her commitment to strengthening political dialogue, Isotta is actively involved in launching the Coalition for Dialogue and Collaboration in Politics, a Research & Development Hub dedicated to studying, improving, and scaling political dialogue. This initiative explores new facilitation models, technological innovations, and policy tools to support more effective and collaborative political decision-making and democratic engagement.

Call is open now: Join the Coalition!

Transformative Dialogues on Migrant Care Work

Isotta is currently leading a collaboration with the German Development Agency to facilitate a series of high-impact dialogues focused on protecting and empowering organisation working with migrant care workers and their families. This initiative brings together leaders of civil society organisations and experts coming from Asia, Latin America, Africa and Europe, to develop strategies that enhance legal protections and working conditions for migrants in the care sector.

Learn more

Strategic Training for Non-Profit Leadership and Organisational Growth

Isotta has designed and led customized training programs and strategic development processes for international non-profits, foundations, and policy-driven organisations, including Mayors Mechanism, the Robert Bosch Stiftung. Her approach combines practical skill-building with strategic foresight, equipping non-profit leaders with Political Process Design, facilitation, Adaptive Leadership, Design Sprint methodology, development of internal processes and fundraising strategies, and partnership development.

Enquire about our trainings

Spotlight Publication

"Dialogue Sine Qua Non – No Just Democracy Without Engagement"

Published by the Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung, this essay highlights the critical role of genuine dialogue in democratic societies. The publication explores why meaningful political engagement is essential for navigating polarisation, strengthening democratic institutions, and ensuring inclusive governance.

Read it here.

More often than not, we think of dialogue as a means to convince the other side of our truth. This is a very human error: idealising a version of dialogue that feels comfortable and yet is largely performative. It occurs because real, generative dialogue that deeply challenges our values, identities and self-worth, with no assurance of “winning” is discomforting and, if we care deeply about the issue under discussion, can be terrifying.