Ambassador Martina Strong

Ambassador Martina Strong is a member of the board of directors of the Arab Gulf States Institute. She is the Bechtel Corporation’s region president for Central Europe and the Middle East. Strong has deep expertise in strategic leadership, international partnerships, and advocacy for U.S. industry interests abroad – experience that has been invaluable as Bechtel pursues business priorities in central Europe and the Middle East.

Her prior career as a U.S. diplomat spanned nearly three decades, and, most recently, she was the U.S. ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. In the UAE, she was recognized with the First Class Order of Zayed II – one of the highest civilian honors given to foreign diplomats – for her successful efforts in strengthening U.S.-UAE ties. Strong previously served as the chargé d’affaires at the U.S. Mission to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Earlier, she held leadership roles on the National Security Council at the White House as well as in Iraq, Bulgaria, and Poland.