ODBT Strategic Consulting Nominated for International Elite 100 Awards 2026

Following the third-quarter 2026 selection process, the company was included in the official shortlist, recognising its achievements in strategic consulting, innovation and international expansion.

The nomination reflects the growing role of ODBT Strategic Consulting as an independent international advisory firm operating at the intersection of strategy, investment, technology and cross-border business development.

The recognition is particularly timely as the strategic consulting industry itself is evolving. Companies increasingly need more than analysis and recommendations: they require deep understanding of local markets, institutional environments, capital and the relationships between key decision-makers.

This new model of strategic advisory is at the centre of the GPMG feature and interview with Olga Grishchenko, Co-Founder and CEO of ODBT Strategic Consulting.

As centres of global economic influence continue to shift, the Middle East is emerging as one of the world’s most important hubs for investment, technology and strategic growth. At the same time, the consulting industry is being reshaped.

In complex and tightly regulated markets, traditional analysis and standardised market-entry models are often no longer enough. Companies increasingly need advisers who understand not only commercial strategy, but also the institutional, political and cultural environments in which important decisions are made.

This is creating a larger role for independent strategic advisory firms. Their advantage is not organisational scale, but senior-level involvement, agility and the ability to connect clients with trusted institutions, capital and decision-makers across markets.

ODBT Strategic Consulting is an example of this model. Working across Western and Middle Eastern markets, the firm combines strategic advisory with an international network spanning technology, investment, hospitality, entertainment, legal affairs and government relations.

The model is particularly relevant to cross-border mandates where corporate objectives must be aligned with national priorities, regulatory realities and long-term investment interests. In such situations, relationships are not an accessory to strategy; they are part of the infrastructure that makes implementation possible.

GPMG spoke with Olga Grishchenko about the changing nature of strategic consulting, the role of institutional access and the growing connection between business strategy and the global artificial-intelligence agenda.

Olga Grishchenko: Frameworks remain useful, but strategy becomes practical only when it is embedded in the local ecosystem. Without trusted counterparties and institutional alignment, even excellent analysis can remain theoretical. This is especially true in the Middle East, where trust, reputation and long-term commitment are fundamental to how business is conducted. Companies must also understand how their objectives fit within national priorities. That requires dialogue rather than a standardised approach.

Olga Grishchenko: Independence allows us to remain flexible, senior-led and closely involved in every mandate. At the same time, our international network gives us access to expertise and capabilities normally associated with much larger organisations. We do not try to replicate the structure of a global consultancy. Instead, for each project we assemble the right combination of strategic, legal, regulatory, investment and market expertise. Steptoe, for example, brings substantial international legal and public-policy expertise, including a strong Washington-based government-affairs practice. This is particularly valuable in complex cross-border matters where commercial objectives must be aligned with regulatory and institutional considerations. The strength of the model is not size for its own sake, but the ability to bring the right people around a mandate and remain directly accountable for the result.

Olga Grishchenko: It is much more than a list of influential contacts. It means knowing which stakeholders matter, understanding their priorities and creating alignment between parties that may operate according to very different logics. A corporation, a government institution and a family office may view the same opportunity in completely different ways. Our role is to create a structure in which their interests can meet.

Olga Grishchenko: The expertise of the company and its leadership allows us to connect Western and Middle Eastern markets and support distinctive intercontinental transactions. Our advisory environment brings together experience in international business, investment, technology and legacy capital. ODBT’s advisory board includes Christian Rockefeller, Robert W. Hanson and Udaya Indrarathna, whose backgrounds span investment, family enterprise and senior governmental advisory roles in the Gulf. ODBT co-founder David Anton adds a strong American and transatlantic dimension. His business interests span marketing, entertainment and technology, supported by long-standing relationships with major institutions and companies including Blackstone, JPMorgan Chase and Google. Together, this allows us to approach projects not as isolated transactions, but as long-term strategic structures.

Olga Grishchenko: They reinforced my view that artificial intelligence cannot be treated only as a commercial opportunity. It also raises serious questions of responsibility, governance and long-term societal impact. Our work increasingly connects business strategy with this wider global agenda. We help companies identify the opportunities created by AI while also understanding the institutional and social environment in which the technology will develop.

Olga Grishchenko: The models are complementary. Large consultancies are effective when a project requires extensive analytical resources or large-scale implementation infrastructure. Independent firms are particularly valuable when a mandate requires discretion, direct senior involvement, cultural fluency and the ability to connect decision-makers across several markets.

Olga Grishchenko: The ability to combine analytical rigour with relational intelligence. The strongest advisers will understand capital, technology and public policy, but they will also know how to build trust across different cultures and institutions. Their role will not be limited to recommending a strategy. They will help create the relationships and structures that make that strategy possible.

This English website-ready version is based on the previously prepared Russian editorial adaptation of the GPMG interview. References to clients, partners and engagements are illustrative and remain subject to applicable confidentiality obligations.