A boutique consultancy
STRATENA
Helping companies and development actors succeed in fragile markets with insight, edge, and zero corporate fluff
WHO WE ARE
Stratena is a boutique strategic advisory firm specializing in complex environments: conflict zones, transitional states, and post-crisis markets. We help ambitious companies navigate geopolitical risk, operational uncertainty, and emerging market volatility with precision.We’re small, agile, and unapologetically real. We understand political risk, not just on paper, but on the ground. We speak the languages (literal and institutional) and deliver strategies that move beyond the boardroom and into the field.
WHY STRATENA ?
Stratena isn’t here to play scale games or wrap itself in a vague mission statement approved by a Swiss branding agency. What we offer is different:• We bring field-tested perspective from fragile contexts, not sanitized decks copied from boardroom echo chambers
• Deep engagement with key stakeholders, donors, local power brokers, and political actors alike
• Real-time, on-the-ground awareness of political, economic, and social dynamics
• A proven ability to translate geopolitical complexity into operational clarity
• The strategic backbone to say “No, that won’t work”, especially when everyone else wants to “pilot it”We don’t do safe. We do smart. We do sharp. We do what’s actually necessary in complex environments.
our history
Stratena started in the field, inside embassies, briefings, border crossings, and high-stakes conversations where the Wi-Fi was bad and the consequences were real.We’ve watched major development efforts falter under fragile assumptions. We’ve seen investments unravel because no one asked the hard questions early enough. We’ve been the voice in the room that says, “This won’t hold. Not here. Not like that.”Our strength isn’t in headcount, it’s in judgment. We bring experience shaped by real-world pressure, not just PowerPoint decks. We draw on a focused group of partners when it adds value, but our core strength is strategic clarity and grounded judgment.Stratena exists because complexity doesn’t wait. We help clients act quickly, think precisely, and stay grounded, especially when the terrain gets unpredictable.
our services
Our services start where most firms stop thinking because your market doesn’t come with a manual
Whether you need a strategy brief or full immersion, we scale to match your reality
Groundwork Package
“Start Smart or Start Over”
Duration: +/- 2–3 weeks
Ideal For: Early-stage planning, feasibility checks, pre-investment scopingWhat’s Included:Multilevel political economy & conflict analysisRisk landscape assessmentStakeholder mapping (formal and informal actors)ESG diagnostic tailored to fragile settings60-minute advisory sessionDeliverables:15–20 page report (PDF or slide format)Executive summary (optional)
Why Choose This?
Because entering a fragile market blind is cute until the third bribe request. We give you the lay of the land, minus the tourist filter.
Footprint Package
“One Step In, One Foot at HQ”
Duration: +/- 3 weeks
Ideal For: Organizations exploring expansion or engagement in complex environments
What’s Included:
Contextual landscape brief (political + operational)
High-level stakeholder mapping
Light-touch regulatory overview
Risks & opportunities snapshot
1x strategy session (virtual)
Follow-up insights via email (2 weeks)
Deliverables:
Strategic brief (+/-10 pages)
Suggested entry approaches
Risk and reputation checklist
Why Choose This?
Because most mistakes happen before the strategy even starts.
This package gives you the clarity others skip; early intel, context that matters, and strategic footing before you make your first move.
Embedded Advisor
“Hire Strategy, Not Noise”
Monthly retainer
Ideal For: Mid- to long-term advisory for fast-moving or high-risk projectsWhat’s Included:Dedicated strategic advisor (remote or hybrid)Biweekly intelligence briefsStakeholder engagement monitoringMonthly recalibration sessionsEmergency advisory supportDeliverables (Monthly):2x strategy callsExecutive summary updatesEmail + phone support during business hours
Why Choose This?
Because your shiny slide deck won’t survive the first stakeholder meeting. We stay on board to keep your plan alive and your team out of the headlines.
Tailored Support, On Your Terms
Available as stand-alone engagements or through monthly retainers
• Political Economy Snapshot – A rapid, localized assessment of what’s really going on
• Conflict Analysis & Impact Scanning – Understand the dynamics shaping stability and how your presence might shift them.
• Local Partner Vetting – We investigate before you commit (and regret)
• Contextualized Due Diligence –
Deep, environment-specific insight to assess operational, reputational, and political exposure.
• Stakeholder & Actor Mapping –
Identify formal, informal, and invisible power structures because influence isn’t always institutional.
• Social Acceptability Assessment –
Gauge whether communities, gatekeepers, and local narratives will support or reject your presence.
• Discreet Mediation & Crisis Exit Advisory – Quiet support when tensions rise. For clients who prefer resolutions over press coverage.
• Corporate Diplomacy Advisory
Strategy – For navigating sensitive political relationships, regional dynamics, and institutional gatekeepers.
• Executive Advisory Call (1:1) – One hour with someone who won’t sugarcoat⸻📝 Note to Clients:Pricing is based on scope, location, and urgency. Tell us what you need, we’ll tell you what it takes.
Why Choose This?
Not every client needs a full package. Sometimes you just need the right tool, at the right time. Stratena offers modular, à-la-carte services that adapt to your context, your team, and your timeline.
WHAT THEY SAY
“Stratena brings a rare and much-needed blend of geopolitical fluency and grounded strategic clarity. In environments where most consulting firms flounder in ambiguity, Stratena offers actionable insight, cultural intelligence, and genuine foresight. Their work in fragile contexts is not only precise, it is ethical and rooted in long-term thinking. Any organization serious about navigating complexity would be lucky to have them at the table.”
— Dr. L. V., Security & Policy Expert
“Stratena brings hands-on experience to the table, delivering bespoke, culturally attuned solutions in complex environments. They understand both velocity and vision. They helped us align product strategy with real world constraints, without compromising innovation. Trusted. Top class”
— M. I., Head of Strategy & Foresight
What we are thinking
Insights drop: Growth or Fallout?
What CEOs Miss in the Great Lakes Region
Everyone’s hunting “emerging markets.” Few are reading the fine print.
This piece breaks down why classic expansion models fail in the Great Lakes and what decision-makers actually need to know about political undercurrents, stakeholder volatility, and risk that doesn’t show up on pitch decks.If your strategy fits everywhere, it fits nowhere.
Start here instead.
About the founder
Stratena was founded by Cinthia De Roover, a strategist with a multidisciplinary background in public affairs, lobbying, academic research, and international project delivery. Her career spans fragile and complex environments, where she has advised private sector actors, development agencies, and multilateral institutions navigating political risk and operational uncertainty.She has lobbied national governments, shaped narratives under pressure, and worked across systems where access is currency and timing is everything. From policy advocacy to strategic design, Cinthia blends systems thinking with sharp political instinct, offering not just analysis, but strategic leverage.Stratena reflects that philosophy: intentionally lean, deeply informed, and responsive by design. Each engagement is shaped by context, grounded in lived experience, and led directly by Cinthia, with discreet support from trusted collaborators when the challenge demands it.She is based in Brussels, operating globally and advising quietly, especially where visibility is a liability.
Let’s talk strategy
“Advisory with edge. No pretense”
Privacy PolicyAt Stratena, we take your privacy seriously. This policy outlines what we collect, how we use it, and your rights (which you probably won’t read, but we’re writing them anyway).1. What We Collect
We may collect personal information such as your name, email address, or any other detail you voluntarily provide via forms or contact submissions. We also collect anonymous data like browser type, pages visited, and how long you loiter on our site.2. How We Use It
To communicate with you.
To analyze how people use the site (hello, Google Analytics).
To improve our services, or at least try.
We don’t sell your data. We barely want it ourselves.3. Cookies
Yes, we use cookies. These help us track usage, improve your experience, and sometimes just remind us that technology is creepy.4. Your Rights
You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data. Email us and we’ll deal with it like responsible adults.5. Changes to This Policy
We might update this if we get more serious. Check back once in a while if you’re really into that sort of thing.Contact
For any questions, contact: [email protected]
Or shout into the void — we might hear you.
N° d’entreprise : BE1024954359
[email protected]© Stratena Consulting. All rights reserved.