Open to opportunities

Marina Umelesi

@marinaumelesi

Message

I drive international trade compliance and business growth for startups and scaleups.

Italy

Message

What I'm looking for

I'm seeking senior roles in trade/export compliance or international business development at growth-stage companies, focusing on export control, sanctions risk, cross-border operations, and opportunities to build compliant processes and lead multidisciplinary teams.

I am a trade compliance and international business professional with 12 years of experience driving import-export strategies and market expansion for startups and growth-stage digital businesses.

I have set up import-export operations, led market analyses across North American and Asia‑Pacific markets, and launched reward-based crowdfunding campaigns that raised €11K–€36K with strong ROAS. I secured production cost reductions averaging 20% and reduced variable procurement costs by 42%.

I specialize in export control, dual‑use regulation, economic sanctions, and third‑party risk management, and hold an Export Compliance International Master and an AEO licence. I apply practical knowledge of OFAC, BIS, EU regimes, customs classification, KYC, due diligence and sanction screening to design compliant processes.

I work cross-functionally in agile environments, drafting contracts, managing logistics and digital marketing, and mentoring teams to meet growth objectives. I am moving toward dedicated roles in export control, sanctions compliance and trade risk management where I can create measurable compliance frameworks.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Trade Compliance Intern

Current

Beyond Bounds S.r.l.

Aug 2024 - Present (1 year)

Supported global trade and export compliance activities including dual-use classification, sanctions screening, and third-party due diligence to strengthen risk detection and compliance processes.

Due Diligence KYC Risk Assessment Compliance

Marketing Intern

Danae Communication Agency

Managed digital communication and stakeholder relations with the Tuscany Government and Ministry of Culture, creating web content and implementing social media strategies for public events.

Digital Communication Content Creation Social Media Strategy Stakeholder Engagement Web Content Management event support Public Sector Liaison

Migration Intern

Prefettura of Massa Carrara

Processed visas and residence permits and supported asylum and international protection procedures, coordinating inspections and controls with police and administrative bodies.

Visa Processing International Protection

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

University of Pisa

Master of Arts, International Relations

Grade: 110/110 Summa Cum Laude

Completed MA in International Relations with a curriculum in International Law and a final thesis in International Economy.

Turgut Özal University

Exchange Semester, International Relations

Exchange semester focused on Turkey–EU relations, international security, and Turkish politics.

University of Pisa

Coursework in Political Science, Political Science

Studied Political Science with emphasis on European Studies and EU law, covering EU administrative and constitutional law.

University of Manchester

Exchange Semester, Political Science

Exchange semester studying History of Political Thought and Theory of International Relations.

University of Pisa

Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy

Bachelor degree in Philosophy with focus on logic, epistemology and critical thinking.

European Institute For Export Control - EIFEC

Master in Export Compliance, Export Control and Trade Compliance

2023 - 2024

Completed the Export Compliance International Master covering US, EU and UK export control regimes, sanctions, product classification and compliance procedures.

University of Perugia

AEO Authorized Economic Operator Licence, Customs and Trade Compliance

2023 - 2024

Completed AEO programme focused on customs procedures, HTS/TARIC classification, dual-use goods and risk management, including a final thesis on EU Dual Use.