More than twenty years of experience as a copy editor and proofreader, specializing in texts by policymakers, researchers and academics for think tanks, foundations and businesses.

Based in Berlin, I have worked as a copy editor and proofreader for international think tanks, political foundations and businesses since 2004. I edit English language publications that are written by both native and non-native speakers and intended for international audiences. I also evaluate and post-edit German-to-English machine translation (MT) output against source texts and in-house style guides.
I understand what it takes to deliver a publication and am familiar with the end-to-end editorial workflow through to publication. My aim is to preserve the author’s voice while applying the required technical, grammatical and stylistic conventions so readers can focus on the message. I enjoy working on projects that reach a global audience and influence international affairs and business practices while welcoming the challenge of perfecting that most imperfect of languages.
PORTFOLIO
MATERIALS
annual reports ● books ● business case studies ● conference papers ● course catalogs ● discussion papers ● journal articles ● marketing materials ● policy briefs ● research papers ● studies ● style guide development and consultation ● summit publications ● working papers
TOPICS
climate policy and finance ● conflict, peacebuilding and security ● corporate sustainability (ESG, CSR) ● democracy promotion and support ● development cooperation and finance ● energy transition ● environmental policy and governance ● foreign policy and international cooperation ● governance, statehood and fragility ● human rights and rule of law ● migration and mobility ● multilateral and transnational cooperation ● organizational behavior ● strategic management ● trade policy and geoeconomics ● sustainable development (2030 Agenda/SDGs)
HIGHLIGHTS
● UN Global Goals Yearbook (United Nations Publications), 2009-2024
● The Palgrave Handbook of Development Cooperation for Achieving the 2030 Agenda (Palgrave)
● Solid Growth – Strategies of Industrial Champions in Global Markets (Palgrave)
● Governability of Regional Challenges: The Arctic Development Paradox (Politics & Governance)
● Debt Relief for Green and Inclusive Recovery Initiative (HBS et al.)
● G7 Elmau Progress Report: Biodiversity (G7 Accountability Working Group)
● Transformation, Politics and Implementation: Smart Implementation in Governance (GIZ)
● How Could This Happen? Managing Errors in Organizations (Palgrave)
● CSR Made in Germany (Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs)


An organization’s published materials can feel uneven when they are produced by different writers, translators, agencies, and teams. A detailed in-house style guide helps keep the language consistent, so websites, reports, press releases, and other materials read as though they come from the same organization.
In Style Matters, I outline what an effective style guide should include and explain how such editorial decisions bring clarity and credibility to an organization’s publications. This brief four-page essay also covers how support from a professional copyeditor can help organizations turn broad language preferences into practical standards that can be applied to all communications.
Freelance Journalist and Copywriter (Boston)
Published more than 80 articles, reviews and interviews for US newspapers, magazines and corporate websites. Regular contributor to the Boston Globe
EFL Instructor and Lecturer
● University of Applied Sciences Berlin (FHTW), Lecturer, English for Engineering
● Deutsche Welle, Advanced Business English
● Berlin School of English: on-site instruction at Axel Springer Publishing, the German Savings Banks Association (DSGV), among other Berlin clients
(CELTA teaching certificate, University of Cambridge, Level 4 ESOL Examinations)

THINK TANKS AND FOUNDATIONS (including inter-institutional collaborations)
Bertelsmann Foundation ● Carnegie Endowment for International Peace ● Center for Advanced Turkey Studies (CATS) ● Center for American Progress ● Center for International Peace Operations (ZIF) ● Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) ● ESMT Berlin ● European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) ● European Council on Foreign Relations ● Federal Chancellery ● Federal Foreign Office (AA) ● Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) ● Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) ● Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) ● Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS) ● Federal Press and Information Office (BPA) ● French Institute of International Relations (Ifri) ● Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) ● German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) ● German Development Institute (DIE) ● German Foundation for Peace Research (DSF) ● German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) ● German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) ● German Institute of Global and Area Studies ● German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) ● Green European Foundation ● Harvard Business Publishing ● Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBS) ● Institute for International and Strategic Relations (IRIS) ● International Labour Organization ● macondo publishing ● Overseas Development Institute ● Peterson Institute for International Economics ● Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) ● RAND Corporation ● Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) ● Royal United Services Institute ● Sciences Po ● Social Science Research Center Berlin (WZB) ● Stockholm Environment Institute ● Stockholm International Peace Research Institute ● UNIFEM ● United Nations Publications ● Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy
CORPORATIONS (via European partner agencies)
Adecco Group ● ACCIONA ● Air France ● Armacell ● Athens International Airport ● Audi ● BASF ● Bayer ● Bain & Co. ● BBN Technologies ● Blancpain ● CCC ● Bosch ● Capgemini ● Carrefour ● Danfoss ● Danske Bank Group ● Deutsche Bank ● Deutsche Post DHL ● Deutsche Telekom ● E.ON ● EDF Group ● Eurofinsa ● EY ● Gebr. Heinemann ● Grundfos ● IKEA ● KPMG ● Liebherr ● Lufthansa ● MAN ● Miele ● Merck ● MTV ● Nestlé ● Novo Nordisk ● Olympus Nederland ● Otto Group ● Philip Morris International ● Philips Electronics ● Sakhalin Energy ● Sanofi ● SAP ● Siemens ● Sony Ericsson ● 3M ● Toshiba America Vaisala ● Volkswagen ● Volvo ● WWF
editor [at] robert-furlong.com ● +49 30 2546 9888 ● Berlin
© 2026 Robert Furlong