Maia Nikoladze is a GeoEconomics Center assistant director at Atlantic Council. In this capacity, she contributes to the center’s research on the convergence of foreign policy and economics, visualizes data on economic indicators and offers operational support to the project. Maia formerly worked as an Atlantic Council Young Global Professional (YGP) and as a graduate research assistant at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
In addition to her master’s degree in Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies from Georgetown University, Maia has an honors certificate in International Business Diplomacy and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Clark University. Maia was born in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Tell us about what your work and your educational background at Georgetown.
I’m an assistant director for economic statecraft at the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center, which means I do research and analysis on how governments use economic and financial tools for achieving foreign policy objectives.
Sanctions escalation against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine has been my primary focus in the past year. When the invasion started in February 2022, my team was in the spotlight of every major media outlet due to our understanding of the technical process of sanctions implementation. It was the first time the central bank of a global economy was sanctioned and everyone was wondering about the consequences. Our team was working tirelessly to visualize sanctions data and publish an analysis that would be simple and accessible for every reader.
During that time, having a Georgetown degree in Eurasian and Russian Studies, a certificate in International Business Diplomacy and academic coursework in data visualization was most helpful in visualizing sanctions data, analyzing the effects of sanctions against Putin’s close associates and understanding what sanctions meant for Russian and Western companies.
How did you get interested in economic statecraft?
I studied international relations and economics in college and at Georgetown, and thought that working in economic statecraft would allow me to focus at the intersection of the two fields I’m most passionate about. I joined the Council two weeks before my team launched the Economic Statecraft Initiative. Shortly after that, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine put a spotlight on economic statecraft, which meant that our work on sanctions became very popular and valuable internationally. I learn something new about economic statecraft every day, and my interest in the field is only growing as the tools of economic statecraft are being used at a scale never seen before.
Why did you choose Atlantic Council for your career path?
I had heard of Atlantic Council many times from my friends at Georgetown, about the events they would host and the dynamism of the organization. I have frequently used Atlantic Council publications on Russian foreign policy to guide my research papers. After graduation, I interned at the Council. Seeing how intellectually stimulating and dynamic the organization was, I thought I would learn a lot and grow at this organization. And I was not wrong. After starting a full-time position at the Council, I’ve had excellent opportunities for publishing, hosting events and improving my data visualization skills.
How does your Georgetown and CERES experience help you in your career today?
In-depth research, analytical writing and data visualization have been the most useful skills I developed at Georgetown and apply to my job every day.
Russia has been an inescapable focus for economic statecraft experts in the past year and is likely to remain so in the years to come. My knowledge of the Eurasia region is very helpful while leading two of my favorite projects: Russia Sanctions Database and Global Sanctions Dashboard.
Are there any particular Georgetown courses that made a difference in your career?
I took a class with Ambassador Kenneth Yalowitz in my first semester, who was an ambassador to my country (Georgia) from 1998-2001. The class was about conflict resolution in the former USSR. In addition to frozen conflicts in Georgia, we covered the conflicts in Moldova, Ukraine and Nagorno-Karabakh. It helped me understand how similar Russia’s strategies are for destabilizing Eastern European and Caucasus countries and depriving them of the opportunity to progress and integrate with the West. This is something that guides my understanding of the Ukraine war today, and very much affects how I write about Russian aggression towards its neighbors.
What is your advice to students looking for a career in think tanks?
Learn data analysis and visualization, take classes that teach you both in-depth research and short-form writing and leverage your regional language skills. Take at least one class on career and leadership. Go to as many workshops and networking events as possible, ask questions and always meet new people.