Senior Partner, Control Risks
Sorana leads the geopolitical risk analysis team for the Middle East and North Africa and is part of the company’s regional management team based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). She is an experienced risk management professional who has focused on helping private and public organisations to make informed decisions about emerging market opportunities by enabling them to understand the political, integrity and security risks to their operations in specific jurisdictions.
During more than a decade with Control Risks, she has gained significant experience in advising clients on government relations. She has also helped clients to identify and manage reputational risks stemming from their partnerships with companies and individuals across the Middle East, the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
The projects Sorana has managed recently include:
A retainer service for one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, which Control Risks advises on geopolitical trends in the hydrocarbons sector.
An assessment of the specific political, operational and security risks to the education sector for a private equity company, which was looking to acquire a business with operations in 21 jurisdictions across five continents.
A comprehensive risk assessment for an international NGO that was planning to open offices across the Middle East and North Africa.
Mapping key stakeholders in the automotive sector for a client that was looking to re-enter the Iranian market. This enabled the company to devise an informed strategy for re-entry and select a reliable local business partner.
Analysing the geopolitical, political and economic factors affecting developments in the oil and gas sector in the eastern Mediterranean. This included mapping the key figures with domestic and international governments who would be likely to influence the sector in one of the Levant countries.
Sorana holds an International Risk Management Certificate from the Institute of Risk Management and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, both with distinction. She also holds bachelor’s degrees in political science and in international economic relations from two universities in Bucharest, Romania, and a postgraduate certificate from the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany. Sorana is a regular speaker at global and regional conferences and has been quoted by various media, including Reuters, the Financial Times, and Forbes.