Maria M. Rijo Lopes da Cunha, PhD
​Founder, Cross-Cultural Consult & The Presence Edit
Specialist in intercultural communication and global team strategy enabling inclusive leadership, resilient collaboration, and high-performing international teams.
Raised across multiple countries, with family roots in Portugal and deep ties to Brazil, Angola, Macau, Canada, and France, I bring a lifetime of lived expertise in navigating cultural nuance. Educated in the UK and now based in Copenhagen, I have lived and worked in Lisbon, Madrid, London, and Beirut, acquiring not only six languages but also the strategic insight to understand how communication, leadership, and presence shift across borders.
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I hold a PhD from SOAS, University of London, and have led research and teaching at the University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University. My career includes two prestigious, fully funded postdoctoral fellowships awarded by the Danish Institute in Damascus, and my peer-reviewed work appears in leading journals and volumes such as Music and Cultural Diplomacy in the Middle East (Palgrave, 2024).​
With over a decade of experience across academia, cultural diplomacy, and organizational consulting, I now advise global companies, executive leaders, and creative founders on how to thrive in complex, multicultural environments. Through Cross-Cultural Consult, I help international organizations and Scandinavian businesses expanding abroad develop strategies for cross-cultural communication, inclusive leadership, and global team performance.
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Through The Presence Edit, I also work privately with leaders and professionals navigating moments of transition. This is a bespoke process of presence mentoring, not just styling, not just coaching, but mentoring that empowers individuals to express themselves clearly, lead with authority, and embody intentional presence in professional and personal contexts.
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Communication as strategy. Culture as advantage. Presence as power.
Core Competencies
Executive Education & Training
Designing and delivering impactful learning experiences for leaders and teams in international and multicultural contexts.
Public Speaking & Thought Leadership
Proven track record as an international keynote speaker and panelist across Europe, the UK, the USA, and the Middle East.
Strategic Project Management
Skilled in conceptualizing, structuring, and executing medium- to long-term initiatives with measurable outcomes.
Funding & Resource Development
Extensive experience in grant writing, fundraising, and securing investment for complex international projects.
Global Team Leadership
Expertise in building, motivating, and managing diverse teams; strong capabilities in performance evaluation, conflict resolution, and trust-building.
Stakeholder Engagement
Experienced in facilitating communication and alignment between executives, cross-border teams, and external partners.
Change Management & Organizational Development
Supporting companies through international expansion, restructuring, and adaptation to new cultural and market contexts.
Intercultural Communication Strategy
Deep knowledge of cultural intelligence as a driver of collaboration, negotiation, and leadership effectiveness.
Decision-Making & Influence
Skilled in guiding leaders and teams through complex decisions, using persuasion, diplomacy, and evidence-based insight.