In a world shaped by geopolitical shifts and rapidly evolving opportunities, Merissa Khurma, Founder and CEO of AMENA Strategies LLC, is building a distinctive bridge between America and the Middle East & North Africa. Founded in 2025 and headquartered in Washington, DC, AMENA Strategies transforms complex regional realities into sharp insights, strategic communications, and meaningful connections for businesses, governments, institutions, and organizations. With a vision to become a trusted partner when clarity matters most, Merissa is shaping a new kind of boutique advisory firm — one where strategy, regional expertise, and connection come together to create impact.
The Bridge Builders: Translating Complexity into Global Connection
AMENA Strategies LLC is a DC-based consulting firm that focuses on translating complexity into connections that matter between America and the MENA region. It aims to bring analysis, strategic communications, strategy-building, and thought leadership to companies, think tanks, and government entities across both regions.
The name AMENA is inspired by the founder’s extensive experience connecting America to the MENA region through her rich background in foreign policy, strategy-building, and thought leadership. In a region that is expanding access to technology and accelerating investments in AI, infrastructure, and economic integration, even amid uncertainty, AMENA Strategies’ experts provide insights into the political, economic, social, and cultural landscape across the region, create a narrative of partnership and growth between America and MENA, and build platforms for powerful connections and mutually beneficial growth.
“Our vision is to become a leading and trusted consulting firm shaping policy through insight-driven strategy in America and the MENA region. We aim to be the first call for governments, businesses, and institutions when clarity matters most,” says Merissa.
A Daughter’s Nudge and a Leap of Faith
The founder and her team have built careers in foreign policy, analysis, and strategic communications in Washington, DC, with a particular focus on the Middle East and North Africa. They have worked with governments, think tanks, businesses, and philanthropists, fostering dialogue and providing a platform to discuss and advance pertinent issues related to America’s national interests in the MENA region, as well as to highlight trends that go beyond the headlines of the moment.
Merissa Khurma decided to take a leap of faith after she and her team found themselves without jobs in April 2025 due to DOGE cuts. She decided to take their combined expertise and commitment into the private sector. She was nudged by her daughter, who asked why her mom wasn’t going to the office anymore and then prompted her to “just start a business, like Dad.” It is certainly easy to register a business in the U.S., but the journey can be risky. Nevertheless, there was no better way to move forward in a shifting market than to embrace the spirit of American entrepreneurship and launch forward with gumption. It has been quite the learning journey — one that has been incredibly rewarding.
At the Crossroads of Policy and Strategy
AMENA Strategies sits at the intersection of strategic advisory, public affairs, communications, and analysis, with a particular focus on the United States of America and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region — thus the name AMENA.
The company helps governments, businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations navigate complex political, economic, social, and cultural environments by translating regional expertise into actionable strategies. AMENA addresses key market needs, including:
- The difficulty of understanding rapidly changing geopolitical and economic dynamics.
- Reaching the right stakeholders.
- Communicating effectively and impactfully across U.S. and MENA audiences.
- Developing strategies that are both locally informed and globally relevant.
Its services include strategic communications and positioning, stakeholder mapping and engagement, policy and market research, thought leadership, government and public affairs advisory, and support for organizations seeking to enter, expand, or strengthen their presence across U.S.–MENA markets.
The AMENA Advantage: Rare Fluency in Two Worlds
AMENA Strategies’ services include:
- Strategic Communications: End-to-end messaging, brand development, media strategy, editorial guidance, and audience engagement advisory that build credibility and shape perception.
- Research & Analysis: Policy briefs, regional reports, and intelligence products tailored to senior decision-making needs.
- Advisory Services: Thought leadership, strategic positioning, and partnership strategy for organizations building influence and authority.
- Conferences & Events: Strategic design, speaker curation, and post-event publication that turn gatherings into lasting platforms for influence.
The AMENA Advantage
Their competitive edge stands out for its rare fluency in both U.S. policy culture and MENA regional dynamics. This enables the firm to help partners navigate both worlds with tact, precision, credibility, and impact. It boils down to:
- Intellectual Rigor: Evidence-based strategy grounded in local context.
- Trusted Networks: Strong relationships across key decision-makers, businesses, and civil society.
- Bespoke Delivery: Every engagement is tailored from first principles.
Boutique Power, Institutional Impact
AMENA has been able to tap into the team’s network to create projects and respond to the needs of clients from within its network. It’s been a successful start, with valuable data and insights gathered from every pitch, every potential opportunity, and every conversation at a forum, conference, or side chat. As we mark our first year in business, we are in pitch mode — targeting potential partners as we grow our team and extend our projects to more thematic areas.
“Our growth strategy is focused on positioning the firm as a high-value boutique advisory partner for organizations operating across the U.S. and the MENA region. We are connectors, translators of culture, politics, and business dynamics. Our growth will evolve from deepening the relationships we already have with government, private-sector, nonprofit, and philanthropic clients and from establishing new ones,” says Merissa.
Alex Farley, a member of the AMENA team adds “We plan to expand into high-growth areas where we have expertise, such as AI, strategic communications, and strategy-building for impact. Over time, our goal is to grow through a mix of long-term retainers, larger institutional projects, and strategic partnerships rather than high-volume consulting.”
The Human Factor in AI: Redefining Tech in the MENA Region
Their team’s combined backgrounds in analysis give them an edge over other companies, as they are always looking at market trends on all fronts — including how geopolitical developments impact business, investments, and risk appetite, and where attention is shifting. Sometimes, the gaps in the market provide opportunities for partnerships; these can be less crowded spaces, and the team identifies such gaps by pinpointing emerging trends.
AMENA has several upcoming projects focused on AI and technology in MENA as a potential area of business with the United States. These projects are delving into areas of AI that have not received sufficient investment. Beyond the technology and the bottom line of businesses, there are issues pertaining to the human factor in the AI equation and how it can be utilized to optimize the MENA AI experience — areas that AMENA will explore.
Proactive Engagement: Solving the Need Before It Starts
Navigating the uncertainty in the market amidst current tectonic geopolitical developments in the MENA region has been very challenging. It has also provided a plethora of lessons learned that are as valuable as the experience gained from working on projects that did not pan out.
One key challenge that also presents itself as an opportunity is that most businesses and governments do not really know they need AMENA’s services until they get to the region or start their projects. Faria Nasruddin notes “ we are trying to have these conversations beforehand, translating the local context and helping clients build strategies that communicate their objectives and develop relationships with greater impact.”
Founder-Led, Expert-Driven
AMENA’s operational model is founder-led, deploying regional experts from within the team as needed for each engagement. This model ensures direct accountability and senior-level attention, while the network-based model adds deep regional expertise and scale.
“The AMENA culture is one where the team is at the centre of our work,” shares Seda Gunes. Yusuf Can emphasizes the CEO’s focus on team building, open communication, and close coordination. This is our modus operandi, and I appreciate it and learn from it. Investing in the AMENA team is key to its evolution and growth.”
The Next Horizon: Sustainable Growth and Lasting Impact
“Our goals for the next two years are to work on more long-term institutional projects while we maintain a steady flow of small to medium projects that engage the entire team. We want to be profitable and lead the way with our new thinking and unique approach that tailors our projects to the clients’ needs. There is no one-size-fits-all tool that we deploy. It’s all specialized and puts our partners at the heart of our work,” assures Merissa.
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