ODBT pitches independent advisory model for Middle East growth

ODBT Strategic Consulting is highlighting a senior-led advisory model built for cross-border work in the Middle East and other regulated markets. The firm says relationships, institutional access and cultural fluency are becoming as important as traditional strategy work as AI, investment and government priorities converge.

Why it matters: - Independent advisory firms are gaining ground in markets where dealmaking depends on trust, regulation and government relationships. - ODBT Strategic Consulting is positioning that shift as a response to the Middle East’s growing role in investment, technology and strategic growth. - The trend matters for companies that need more than market analysis. They need advisers who can help align commercial goals with political, cultural and institutional realities.

What happened: - ODBT Strategic Consulting published a market overview and interview with Co-Founder and CEO Olga Grishchenko. - The discussion focused on how strategic consulting is changing, why institutional access matters and how artificial intelligence is reshaping business strategy. - Grishchenko said the firm works across Western and Middle Eastern markets and relies on an international network spanning technology, investment, hospitality, entertainment, legal affairs and government relations. - The firm said its approach is designed for cross-border projects where corporate objectives must fit national priorities and regulatory constraints.

The details: - Grishchenko said traditional market-entry frameworks are still useful, but they become practical only when embedded in the local ecosystem. - She said trust, reputation and long-term commitment are central to business culture in the Middle East. - ODBT said its independence allows it to stay flexible, senior-led and closely involved in every mandate. - The firm said it does not try to replicate a global consultancy structure. - Instead, ODBT said it assembles strategic, legal, regulatory, investment and market expertise around each project. - The firm pointed to Steptoe as an example of the model, citing the law firm’s international legal and public policy expertise and Washington-based government affairs practice. - ODBT said meaningful access means understanding which stakeholders matter, what they prioritize and how to align parties that operate by different logics. - The firm said a corporation, a government institution and a family office may all see the same opportunity differently. - ODBT said its leadership and advisory environment help connect Western and Middle Eastern markets and support intercontinental transactions. - The advisory board includes Christian Rockefeller, Robert W. Hanson and Udaya Indrarathna. - ODBT said those backgrounds cover investment, family enterprise and senior governmental advisory roles in the Gulf. - Co-founder David Anton adds an American and transatlantic dimension, with business interests in marketing, entertainment and technology and long-standing relationships with Blackstone, JPMorgan Chase and Google. - The firm said those connections strengthen its ability to connect opportunities across the United States, Europe and the Middle East. - Grishchenko chaired one of the working groups at the Assembly of Nobel Laureates in the Vatican in July. - She said those discussions reinforced the view that AI is not only a commercial opportunity but also a question of responsibility, governance and long-term social impact. - The company said its work increasingly links business strategy with the wider global AI agenda.

Between the lines: - ODBT is arguing that consulting value is shifting from scale to access. - The pitch is that smaller firms can outperform larger ones when a mandate requires discretion, senior attention and cultural fluency. - That framing also suggests a market where advisory work is becoming more specialized and relationship-driven, especially in the Gulf. - The AI comments broaden the message beyond dealmaking and place strategy within a wider policy and ethics debate.

What's next: - ODBT is likely to keep leaning on its cross-border network as Middle East investment and technology activity expands. - The firm signaled that it will continue advising on projects where business strategy intersects with regulation, government priorities and long-term capital. - Grishchenko said independent firms are complementary to large consultancies, not direct replacements. - Large firms remain useful for projects that need major analytical or implementation resources, while independent firms are positioned for sensitive, multi-market mandates.

The bottom line: - ODBT is making a case that the future of strategic consulting belongs to relationship-heavy, senior-led firms that can move between business, government and capital with ease.