Valeria
Rubello
Senior Director
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Valeria Rubello specializes in geopolitical advisory, global advocacy, and strategic communications, with over 15 years of experience in advising senior leadership on navigating complex global challenges and shaping their global positioning.
As a Senior Director at APCO, based in Abu Dhabi, Valeria advises government and private sector clients on their global positioning, and leads the firm’s defense sector portfolio across the MENA region. With deep expertise across public affairs, stakeholder engagement, reputation management, and crisis communications, she helps leaders build credibility and standing on the international stage, while enabling companies to enhance and protect their reputation as they pursue growth in an environment where geopolitical, regulatory, and reputational pressures increasingly converge.
Since joining APCO in 2015, Valeria has held key leadership roles, including on APCO’s regional leadership team in Europe, where she led the Geo-Commerce practice, and on Italy’s management team. Until April 2026, she was based in Rome, managing international projects and campaigns across Europe, the United States, China, and MENA. Her work spans a range of industries, including technology, telecommunications, automotive, tourism, energy, and defense. Known for her ability to deliver integrated, results-driven strategies, she helps clients achieve their goals in both stable and high-pressure environments.
Before joining APCO, Valeria worked at NATO as a Staff Officer, where she supported member nations in crisis preparedness and was instrumental in the development of the Organization’s first civilian capabilities within NATO’s Defense Planning Process, gaining invaluable experience in global security and international relations.
Valeria holds a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Studies from the University of Turin, Italy. She also studied at Lund University in Sweden and pursued a second master’s degree in Global Advocacy at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Fluent in Italian and English, Valeria also has a good knowledge of French and German.