Daria Robinson studied astrophysics at the University of Geneva and began her career with the European Space Agency where she set up the external relations department at the time of ESA’s first human spaceflights with Russia. She then ran strategic planning consulting businesses in the US and Switzerland to help academia, governments, international organizations, and businesses jointly develop global science and technology initiatives.

Daria joined the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in 2015 to present the global business efforts to Ministers at COP21. She arranged at that occasion for a Call to Earth – A Message from the World’s Astronauts to COP21 to be delivered to the Ministers to sensitize the audience on the fragility of Spaceship Earth. Daria stayed on to set up the strategic partnership directorate at WBCSD.

In 2018, Daria joined the Antenna Foundation, a Geneva-based NGO, to manage the leadership transition bringing safe, affordable technology to developing countries in the areas of health, agro-ecology, water, hygiene, energy, and nutrition.

Daria was invited to join GESDA shortly after its creation at the end of 2019 as Executive Director of the Diplomacy Forum. In the following year she focused principally on developing the engagement methodology between the academic, diplomacy, impact and citizen communities – the Anticipatory Situation Room. This methodology ensures GESDA to be both a Do Tank and Think Tank at the service of multilateralism. The name of the Anticipatory Situation Room was chosen to underline the urgency to think and act together at the highest level. The Open Quantum Institute (OQI) is the first GESDA Solution born out of this early work. Daria is now Deputy to the CEO and runs the Solution Accelerator, the pipeline of future possible solutions emerging from the Science Breakthrough Radar®.

She serves on several boards, including XPRIZE Europe, a strategic partner of GESDA.

Daria is also a passionate space and science “interpreter”, building awareness of their importance to society by sharing her professional and personal experience through public speaking.