Strategic Pillars

Advancing development and strategic advantage through coordinated
economic, technological, and alliance-based strategy

Overview

Strategic Pillars

Mark Kennedy

Director, Wahba Institute
for Strategic Competition

"Freedom rests on economic foundations. DRI with WISC brings together leading minds and policy actors to reinforce those foundations where development and strategic competition converge."

Sadek Wahba

Chair of WISC GAC,
DRI Senior Fellow

"Infrastructure is no longer just an economic issue—it's central 
to freedom, resilience, and strategic alignment. DRI with WISC ensures 
we think holistically and act decisively."

Rajeev Dehejia

Faculty Co-Director

"To advance prosperity for all we need 
to connect rigorous development research with the systems that shape it—economics, governance, technology, 
and infrastructure."

About DRI 

NYU’s Develop Research Institute and the Wahba Initiative with their partners, the Financial Access Initiative, Africa House, and the Center for Technology and Economic Development, bridge academic research and policy action to address today’s global challenges. From development to deterrence, we equip leaders with insight that spans economics, infrastructure, technology and alliances.

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