Donata is a political scientist with 30 years of experience driving high-stakes diplomacy, crisis response, and peacebuilding initiatives in some of the world’s toughest environments. A sharp negotiator and strategist, she bridges politics, development, and investment—advising multilateral agencies, governments, financial institutions, and the private sector to navigate and thrive in crisis settings. She is a confident public speaker, mentor of young professionals, member of several global experts’ networks, and a volunteer with human rights organizations.

 

Currently Donata collaborates with the United Nations (UN), International Financial Institutions, tech investors and entrepreneurs, and the specialised peace and security firm INCAS Consulting on innovative solutions and financing instruments to address critical global risks and improve peace and security responses.

 

She held executive level positions with Peaceinvest, the UN Department of Peace and Political Affairs, and the World Bank, helping to transform the global peace and finance architecture and to deliver impactful operations in crisis contexts. Her prior senior experience includes leading the OECD’s engagement in crisis affected economies, stabilisation operations for the UK Government, and managing major humanitarian operations.

 

Donata has worked across 50+ countries and lived in over ten, spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, the U.S., Latin America, and the Middle East.

 

She holds a master’s degree in political science and international relations from the University of Florence and has pursued executive education at the Yale School of Management in Leadership for Global Business and Politics. She has also completed high-level trainings in conflict mediation, crisis leadership, and programming in fragile contexts, and is a certified Client Advisor under the Swiss Federal Act on Financial Services (FinSA).