Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dominique Russo brings over two decades of investment management, board advisory, corporate structuring, and nation-level advisory experience, having commenced her investment management career at Merrill Lynch’s New York headquarters and later moving to the GCC with the strategy firm Booz Allen Hamilton / Booz & Company before launching various advisory firms, all of which still operate today. Ms. Russo has advised numerous governments and semi-governmental entities on economic development strategy, investment affairs, and nation-level policy development for areas ranging from bilateral relations to AI, ESG-related policy, future-oriented education and innovation ecosystems, food security, and emerging technology. In addition, she has significant start-up experience and has advised and led multinational family conglomerates in the wider MENAP region as an advisor, Chief Executive Officer, and Board Director. Ms. Russo has also assisted the leadership of one of the world’s first national AI authorities in strategy, partnerships, and in undertaking practical steps to enhance and accelerate the safe adoption of AI across all sectors nationwide. When time permits, Dominique enjoys angel investing, reviving historic homesteads and farms, cooking, tending to her gardens and animals, ocean/nature conservation, and scuba diving, particularly in the Red Sea. Ms. Russo is a graduate of Columbia University, MIT, and Harvard University, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics - Philosophy (Columbia), a Master of Business Administration (MIT), and a Master in Public Administration (Harvard).
Assisting nation-level leaders with the development and implementation of both policy and initiatives aimed at shaping resilient future-forward societies by leveraging emerging technologies, latest R&D developments, and behavioral economics for sustainability Current and past projects include: - Develop future-oriented national strategies, policies, and execution planning to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies, including the development of a purpose-built university system (GCC and international) - Serve as advisor directly to the leadership of one of the world's few AI authorities (GCC) - Advise ministerial-level leaders regularly on innovations in their fields of authority relating to digital transformation, socio-economic development, future-forward education, and long-term sustainability and security (GCC and international) - Identify and forge strategic international partnerships to expedite the realization of emerging technology driven projects, including smart cities / cognitive cities, intelligent infrastructure, agricultural technology / food security, environmental / wildlife preservation, new educational institutions, innovation hubs, and national SOCs - Support the creation of national and regional entrepreneurship and innovation incubators, in collaboration with leading university affiliates, such as MIT, that leverage emerging technology for both enhanced citizen quality of life and sustainability - Spearhead the selection and development of leadership teams vital for the effective implementation of nation-level or regional projects - Provide strategic guidance on the integration of emerging technology, including AI, within multinational for-profit and non-profit organizations
Vice Chair and Contributing Member of the IEEE SA P7030 Working Group - Recommended Practice for Ethical Assessment of Extended Reality (XR) Technologies
Founded firm and oversee operations, which commenced following the sale of Metin Mitchell & Company, Ltd. M2 Strategy currently advises various GCC private, non-profit, and ruling entity Boards, as well as select government entities on strategic direction, strategic investments, partnerships, and operational improvement. M2 also manages portfolio development and engages in implementation for select client projects that satisfy M2's investment criteria. Projects have spanned country-level government strategy and policy development, regional development initiatives, investment portfolio structuring, financial services operational structuring, family office strategy and structure, oversight of operational investments in banking, insurance, luxury retail, transportation, real estate, and industrial. Examples of current and/or prior engagements include: - Providing guidance to GCC governments regarding the use of behavioral insights and soft power in building international relations - Managing and/or overseeing the management of multiple endowments and large investment portfolios (passive and active portfolios in addition to overseeing portfolios heavy in operating investments) - Advising multiple GCC states on economic diversification strategy and structuring, opportunities for job creation and societal evolution via innovation and entrepreneurship - Representing a Gulf state in enhancing commercial collaboration with the U.S. and advocating investment-friendly policy - Guiding economic development strategy planning sessions for a GCC government entity investment affairs division
Interview undergraduate candidates and assess their suitability for acceptance to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Co-founded, launched, and currently co-own this award-winning Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, which, among other honors, has been chosen as one of New York Magazine's Critics' Picks.