What We Provide

Transversal utilizes a network of scholars and experienced professionals to bring vital expertise on the particulars that drive regional and global situations in the energy market today. Our area knowledge and expertise in communicating crucial and complicated concepts gives clients the edge in identifying and approaching opportunities. We provide understanding of the geopolitical issues to best pursue your institutional goals with a deep knowledge base and a realist worldview.

Praise for Our Work

“[Your] comprehensive notes are simply must reads.”

“Your knowledge about Saudi and Aramco is remarkable.”

“Studying a subject before talking about it, treating a subject fairly,
avoiding biases, not treating subjective aspects of a problem as facts,
and open mindedness are all rare qualities, and you seem to have them all.”

“You are the only true blue realist in the whole sector,
providing facts however unpopular.”

“Dr. Wald always sets herself apart…
no nonsense, straight to the point.”

“You are going to be a most respected and influential voice
in this industry for the foreseeable future.”

Leadership

Ellen R. Wald, Ph.D. is a historian, policy expert, and business consultant. She began Transversal Consulting after years of providing independent analysis to industry leaders. At the core of her efforts lies a belief that clients needs facts and realistic analysis provided by true experts via exceptional communication.

She is the author of “Saudi, Inc.: The Arabian Kingdom’s Pursuit of Profit and Power,” a book on the history and strategy of Aramco and Saudi Arabia. She is the foremost expert on Aramco strategy and motivations, and has met with numerous top current and former executives of the firm. She is frequently sought for her expertise on the company past and present as well as her analysis of company activities and plans for the future.

Dr. Wald’s energy industry and geopolitical analyses are read by tens of thousands each week. She writes a weekly column on geopolitics and the energy markets at investing.com, which is translated into multiple languages. She has also provided frequent analysis for Bloomberg, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Modern Trader magazine, and history and policy journals. Dr. Wald regularly comments on policy and industry on television and radio in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

A graduate of Princeton University (A.B. history, Near Eastern studies) and Boston University (Ph.D. energy history, foreign policy, Middle East), Dr. Wald has taught international relations, Middle East history, and policy for a decade. She has held academic appointments at the University of Georgia, the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming, Boston University, and University of Cambridge. She has lectured on energy and geopolitics across the U.S., the U.K., and the Middle East. Dr. Wald is a fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and also a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center.

Media Appearances