Team

Steven has extensive expertise in advising corporate and financial investors on emerging market risk, global anti-corruption matters, and the political and business dynamics of Africa. Prior to founding Veracity, Steven served as a US diplomat in Burundi, France, Washington DC, and Algeria. He also was a managing director of a business intelligence firm where he developed and led its US practice. In addition, Steven has worked in private equity and as a political analyst based in Africa for mining company Anglo American. He holds degrees from Princeton University (BA), the University of Cambridge (M.Phil), and INSEAD (MBA) and speaks French.

Robb has broad experience in advising clients on business and political developments across Southeast Asia and the Middle East from Singapore where he manages Veracity’s Asia practice. Before joining Veracity, Robb founded and helped manage investment, advisory, and technology firms in the US and abroad. Most recently he established and managed the Asia operations of a US-based venture capital firm with investments in Southeast Asia, China, and the Middle East. Robb also founded a boutique consulting firm focused on Asia’s emerging markets and played a leading role in developing the partnerships and alliances group of the enterprise software firm Trilogy based in the US and Europe. Robb holds a BA degree from Boston College and speaks German.

Josh is highly experienced in intelligence analysis and the energy and mining sectors in Africa, Eurasia, and the Middle East. Prior to joining Veracity, he served as an analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency where he monitored energy developments in Eurasia and the Middle East, authored briefs for the President and cabinet officials, and directly supported senior US diplomats in strategic energy initiatives overseas. Josh then joined Chevron Corporation as a Manager of International Government Affairs, where he helped advance company efforts in China, Eurasia, India, and the Middle East and advised senior management on political risk and other matters. He holds degrees from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (MALD) and Stanford University (BA).

Rina has wide-ranging experience in strategic consulting and finance in both India and the US based on her work in the Emerging Markets practice with AT Kearney and the M&A division of Credit Suisse First Boston. She manages Veracity’s complex due diligence, problem-solving, and political risk work in India, where she has been based for much of the past decade focusing on business development and risk management issues. Rina holds degrees from Princeton University (BA) and the University of Oxford (D.Phil) where she was a Fulbright Scholar. She is bilingual in Hindi/Urdu and also speaks French.

Daniel has wide-ranging experience in assisting investors with due diligence and other business intelligence services throughout Asia and Africa, involving several sectors including financial services, telecommunications, and mining. He previously worked for a leading business intelligence firm based in New York and London and also served as an economic analyst focused on the valuation of business risk. Daniel holds a BA degree in politics with a minor in economics from New York University and speaks French.

David has extensive experience in providing due diligence, business intelligence, and advisory services in Spanish and Portuguese language markets throughout Latin America and Africa. Previously, he managed teams in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia that produced detailed investment guides on emerging market destinations for leading international business publications. David holds a BA degree in communications from Australia’s University of Technology in Sydney and speaks Spanish and Portuguese.

David is an expert in assessing a wide range of political risk and due diligence issues in Africa, Eurasia, and the Middle East. He previously served as a project analyst at a due diligence consultancy in Istanbul and as a research associate at the Council on Foreign Relations. He completed a PhD in political science at Columbia University, where his dissertation research focused on evolving civil-military relations in Turkey. David has a BA degree in international relations and French from Tufts University and speaks Turkish and French.

Dillon has extensive experience in political and security issues throughout the Middle East and Central Asia. Prior to joining Veracity, he served as a US diplomat in Turkey, Afghanistan, and New York. Dillon also has worked as an Analyst at the Office of Naval Intelligence and as an Investment Banking Summer Associate at Houlihan Lokey’s Aerospace and Defense Group. Dillon holds a BA degree from Trinity College, Connecticut and an MBA degree with dual concentrations in finance and sustainability from the University of North Carolina. He speaks Turkish.

Frank served as an officer in Central Intelli­gence Agency for more than thirty years, retiring as the Chief of the Near East Division. Over the past decade he has engaged extensively on major due diligence and political risk projects throughout the Middle East and North Africa.  Frank currently serves as President of the Middle East Policy Council, where he works with a wide range of officials in the Middle East. He speaks Arabic and French.

Mel served for four decades as an operations officer in the Central Intelligence Agency, where he was Chief of the Africa Division and Deputy Chief of the European Division. As a senior intelligence officer he worked closely with the US National Security Council and the Departments of Defense and State on Africa matters, and has extensive experience managing operations in areas such as counter-intelligence, counter-terrorism, and counter-proliferation.  Mel speaks French, Spanish, and German.

Wilson served for a decade as Kenya’s top intelligence official and recently retired as the first Director General of Kenya’s National Security Intelligence Service. He also served as Chief of Military Intelligence in Kenya’s Defense Ministry and as a military aide to the president. Wilson also commanded peace-keeping operations in Mozambique and was an advisor and special envoy to the peace process in Chad.  In addition, he served as the commanding officer for the Kenyan contingent to the Rhodesia/Zimbabwe election process. Wilson is a graduate of the National Defense University in Washington DC and speaks Kiswahili.

Mary Ellen has extensive diplomatic and consulting experience in Nigeria and has a detailed understanding of the political and business landscapes in the country. She served for four years as the Management, Consular, and Security Officer at the Canadian High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria where she managed a wide variety of bilateral government issues and interacted with senior Nigerian officials. Additionally she has worked in the local Nigerian NGO community, particularly in the education sector. Mary Ellen previously worked in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as a member of the Division Executive Committee (Ontario) and in management positions including Information Management and Technology, Corporate Services, Media Relations, and Strategic Planning. She speaks French.

Laurent is an international authority on investment, energy, and politics throughout Eurasia. He has had a long career as an energy and business consultant, heading the Eurasia division at a major political risk consultancy, advising oil and gas companies active in the region, and serving as an energy trader in Baku, Azerbaijan. Laurent continues to work with Cambridge Energy Research Associates, where he is Principal Consultant to the World Bank and the European Commission, and where he has advised the energy industry on Russia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan. He has published widely and speaks Russian.

Mr. Dinerstein served as the Global Co-Chair of the Financial Institutions Practice at Greenberg Traurig, LLP and as a senior executive with UBS Investment Bank where his roles included Vice Chairman, Americas, Global General Counsel, and member of the Management Committee and Board. His tenure at UBS included oversight of all legal, compliance, and regulatory matters. Mr. Dinerstein also served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Shearson Lehman Brothers and as Vice President and General Counsel of Citicorp’s Investment Bank. He was a member of the Board of Medarex, Inc., until its acquisition by Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2009 and was Chairman of Crossbow Ventures, Inc., a Florida based venture capital firm. Mr. Dinerstein is currently a member of the board of Amalgamated Bank in New York City and of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is a graduate of Harvard University and the University of Michigan Law School.

Ms. Boswell recently served as the President and CEO of Transparency International-USA and as a member of the Board of Directors of Transparency International. She has served as an advisor to the US State Department and other government agencies. She also serves on the boards of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy of Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service and of the Hills Program on Governance at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Ms. Boswell is on the Steering Committee of the ABA Section on International Law and Practice Committee on Foreign Corrupt Practices and is a member of the Securities Law Committee of the Federal Bar Association. She previously practiced public international and trade law at Steptoe & Johnson, government relations at the American Association of University Women, and international finance at Citicorp. Ms. Boswell received her law degree summa cum laude from the American University Washington College of Law.

Ambassador Bosworth served from February 2009 to November 2011 as the United States Special Representative for North Korea Policy, a role in which he reported to the Secretary of State and President. During his lengthy Foreign Service career he also served as the US Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, to the Philippines, and to Tunisia. Additionally he was the Executive Director of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) and the President of the United States Japan Foundation. Ambassador Bosworth has held several senior positions in the Department of State, including Director of Policy Planning. He currently is Dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, a position he has held since 2001. In addition, he is on the Board of Directors of the Japan Society of Boston and of the Trilateral Commission. Ambassador Bosworth is a graduate of Dartmouth College where he served on the Board of Trustees from 1992 to 2002.

Ambassador Burns served as Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, the nation’s highest-ranking career diplomat where he led US efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear capability and negotiations with India over the US-India civil nuclear agreement. He also was Ambassador to Greece and NATO, and chief spokesman for the State Department. In addition, Ambassador Burns served at the National Security Council as Director for Soviet Affairs and as Special Assistant to President Clinton and Senior Director for Russia and Eurasia affairs.  He currently is Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Ambassador Burns holds degrees from Boston College (BA) and Johns Hopkins University (MA).

Sir Richard served as Chief of MI6, the British Secret Intelligence Service, from 1999 to 2004. Previously, he was Director of Operations and Assistant Chief. Sir Richard’s intelligence career spanned 38 years and included postings in Nairobi, Prague, Paris, Geneva, London, and Washington. He currently is Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge.  Sir Richard holds an MA degree from Queens College, Cambridge.

Ambassador Eizenstat served as Deputy Treasury Secretary, Undersecretary of Commerce, Undersecretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, and US Ambassador to the European Union. He currently is a partner and head of the international practice, including international finance and trade, at Covington & Burling LLP. Ambassador Eizenstat holds degrees from the University of North Carolina (BA) and Harvard Law School as well as seven honorary doctorates and numerous civilian awards from the US and foreign governments.