Elina Idrisova — Business Development Executive
Elina Idrisova is a Business Development Executive for Saudi Arabia at IBM, where she leads the development and execution of country-level strategic initiatives across AI, data, digital infrastructure, and emerging technologies. In this role, she works closely with government entities, sovereign institutions, and enterprise leaders to translate national priorities into scalable, long-term technology-driven growth, supporting Saudi Arabia’s transformation agenda. With over a decade of experience at the intersection of technology, government, and investment, Elina has led complex, cross-technology initiatives across highly regulated and sovereign environments. Her work focuses on aligning enterprise innovation with national economic objectives, enabling digital modernization, and building trusted technology ecosystems that drive competitiveness, resilience, and sustainable impact. Elina also serves as the AI Ethics Focal Point for Saudi Arabia on IBM’s Global AI Ethics Board, where she contributes to advancing responsible, secure, and scalable AI adoption. She is recognized for her ability to engage senior stakeholders across the public and private sectors, fostering collaboration that turns strategy into execution and delivers measurable value at scale. She holds a Master’s degree in International Business and Policy from Georgetown University, where her academic work focused on global trade, economic security, and AI governance, including research on sovereign AI frameworks and cross-border regulatory interoperability. She earned her undergraduate degree in Public and Business Administration from MGIMO and completed an Executive Program in Data Leadership at MIT. Beyond her corporate role, Elina mentors early-stage technology ventures and advises innovation-led and social-impact initiatives. She is passionate about responsible innovation, inclusive leadership, and empowering leaders to harness technology for sustainable, long-term growth. She speaks five languages and enjoys tennis, polo, yoga, literature, and travel.
Stackforce AI infers this person is a Business Development Executive specializing in AI, technology policy, and digital transformation.
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Experience: 9 yrs 1 mo
Skills
- Ai Ethics
- International Sales
- Cross-functional Team Leadership
- Mentoring
- Public Speaking
- Digital Transformation
- Business Development
- Sales Management
Career Highlights
- Expert in aligning technology with national economic objectives.
- Leader in AI ethics and responsible technology adoption.
- Mentor for early-stage technology ventures and social impact initiatives.
Work Experience
IBM
Business Development Executive, Saudi Arabia (2 mos)
AI Ethics Board, Focal Point for Saudi Arabia (1 yr)
Account Executive, Cross Technology (2 yrs 2 mos)
500 Global
Startup Mentor (3 mos)
New Native
Business Mentor (5 mos)
International Society of Automation (ISA)
Technical Committee Member, Saudi Section (2 yrs 10 mos)
Elevatus
Regional Director of Digital Transformation (11 mos)
World Economic Forum
Panelist at WEF 2022: Shaping the Future of Digital Society (2 yrs)
Basel Business Club
Member (2 yrs 5 mos)
TMH INTERNATIONAL
Local Business Development Manager (1 yr 6 mos)
Ctrl2GO Global
Regional Director Of Business Development (2 yrs)
Director Of International Sales (8 mos)
Senior International Project Manager (7 mos)
Quantum3 Global
Chief Business Development Officer (2 yrs 10 mos)
Others
Senior Project Manager in various companies (2 yrs 3 mos)
Education
Master's degree at Georgetown University
Data Leadership Program at MIT Sloan Executive Education
Bachelor's degree at Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) MFA Russia MGIMO
