Project / Programme / PMO leadership & architecture for complex environments
Marius RUSSO (Marius Mihail Russo-Got)
Executive PMO · Project / Programme / PMO Lead · Enterprise & IT Architect
Over 26 years of experience leading high-stakes technology and transformation programmes across defence, the United Nations, the European Union, government, banking, telecom, oil & energy and international organisations. Operating as Marius RUSSO (also known as Marius Mihail Russo-Got), combining hands-on architecture and security with PMO leadership, governance and stakeholder management up to C-level.
Expertise
Defence, UN, EU, government, banking, oil & energy, telecom & emerging tech
Project / Programme / PMO: Set up and lead PMOs, govern multi-project portfolios, recover at-risk programmes and align delivery with strategy.
Defence & security: C3I/C4ISR/C6ISR, mission systems, secure cloud, JEDI/JWCC concepts, cyber-defence and governance for sensitive environments.
Banking & finance: Enterprise PMO, core systems, cyber-security, infrastructure, cost optimisation, supplier assurance and regulatory alignment.
Oil, gas & energy: Data centres, energy modelling platforms, control systems and IT audits for industrial and energy-transition projects.
Telecom & networks: Backbone, GSM, NGN/MPLS/PABX, SDH/PDH, eWAN, tactical links (Link 11, Link 16) and converged mission-critical services.
Emerging tech: AI engines, AI governance, private blockchain concepts for e-Gov / IFIs, and drone navigation / sensor-driven surveillance use-cases.
Methods & standards: PRINCE2, PMI/PMBOK, ITIL, ISO 27000 family, ISO 22301 (business continuity), ISO/NIST-aligned cyber frameworks, architecture standards (ISO 42010, NAF), ISO 9001/12207, CMM/CMMI practices.
Marius operates at the intersection of policy, regulation and technology, translating strategic objectives into pragmatic, implementable roadmaps for ministries, banks, defence organisations and private-sector actors.
- Leads portfolio definition, prioritisation and benefits tracking in multi-stakeholder, politically visible environments.
- Shapes architectures for secure, highly-available platforms supporting national-scale and mission-critical services.
- Bridges CXO language with architects, engineers and vendors across multiple jurisdictions and governance models.
His work extends into emerging technologies where AI, automation, blockchain-style auditability and unmanned systems (drones) complement existing capabilities – always tied to realistic budgets, compliance and risk appetite.
- Explores AI-driven monitoring, reporting and decision-support dashboards on top of enterprise and mission data.
- Advises on traceability, logging and compliance concepts inspired by distributed ledger approaches for public sector.
- Understands how drones, edge sensors and resilient networks can reinforce surveillance and safety for border, transport and industrial contexts.
Key clients & institutions
Based on recent roles and long-term collaborations
Recent focus includes NATO and defence ecosystems, UN and EU institutions, national governments, cyber-security and AI, banking PMO, telecom and energy-transition projects – often in multi-cloud and highly regulated settings.
NATO & allied defence
NCI Agency, CSU-BRX, 38+ MoDs
Head of Section NDW/CPS at NCI Agency, CSU-BRX Principal NNHQ Coordinator and defence cloud / C3I/C6ISR
advisory, including work with 38+ Ministries of Defence and international organisations on secure cloud,
interoperability and experimentation.
United Nations & UNDP
UN Secretariat (OICT) & field missions
Senior Information Technology Officer / PM for UN-OICT, leading M365 and hybrid cloud initiatives,
plus UNDP advisory in Georgia and Armenia on emergency services, cybercrime investigation and
digital governance.
European Union institutions
EEAS, ENISA, DG HOME / EURODAC
Senior project / programme management and architecture for EEAS private cloud and DR, ENISA national
cyber-security strategies, and DG HOME / EURODAC advisory on identification and migration systems.
Law enforcement & cybercrime
Interpol & national agencies
Programme Manager Cybersecurity for Interpol and multiple cybercrime investigation and capacity-building
initiatives, including practical investigation training in partnership with UNDP and national law enforcement.
Government of Romania
MAI, Energy, Transport, Finance
National electronic passport, cyber-defence and border systems, e-invoicing for the Ministry of Finance,
SEM energy-modelling platform for the Ministry of Energy, plus e-vignette and DN1 surveillance for Transport.
Banking & finance
BRD GSG, GE, IFI projects
IT Expert / PMO Head for BRD GSG, leading enterprise PMO and cyber programmes; SAP programme
management for GE; design of DLT concepts for e-Gov and connections with International Financial Institutions.
Global tech, AI & cloud
IBM, AI-Pro, CoE Intelligent Systems
Senior (Technical/Architect) Programme/Project Manager at IBM for national platforms; AI engines and
private blockchain products sold to top-5 tech players; cloud and AI strategy work with IBM and CoE in
Intelligent Engineering Systems.
Telecom, oil & energy
Alcatel, Freescale, OMV & others
Telecom core and NGN networks with Alcatel, embedded and networking solutions with Freescale, and data
centres / control systems for OMV Petrom and other energy and industrial clients.
Selected roles
Cards per role, summarising responsibilities
Chief Innovation Officer & Global Technology Advisor
AI-Pro & self-employed · Remote / worldwide
Leads AI, blockchain and energy-modelling initiatives for governments and enterprises.
- Managed E-Factura / e-invoicing implementation for the Romanian government, with multi-ERP integration.
- Designed AI-based navigation modules for drones, focusing on non-GPS guidance and fire-avoidance.
- Led AI engine R&D (10+ freelancers), with models sold to top-tier IT corporates.
- Coordinated SEM energy-modelling platform for the Ministry of Energy and regional projects using PyPSA/OSeMOSYS.
Head of Section NDW/CPS (Content Collaboration)
NATO Communications and Information Agency · The Hague
Accountable for Content Collaboration Services lifecycle and InfoSec/privacy across NATO environments.
- Led section responsible for SLAs/OLAs regardless of underlying technology or providers.
- First escalation point for major incidents; managed 2nd/3rd level support and problem management.
- Oversaw KPIs, CAB participation, service changes, releases and privacy complaints / risk registers.
Professional Freelancer & Defence Cloud / C3I Expert
CoE Intelligent Engineering Systems & others · Hybrid
Provided services to 38+ MoDs and international organisations on C3I/C6ISR, cloud and AI.
- Worked on IBM's role in JEDI/JWCC, SCCA, CAM, multi-cloud and JADC2 concepts.
- Developed prototypes, best practices and policies for AI, cryptography and cyberspace operations.
- Collaborated with 48 military/civilian organisations and 18 Centres of Excellence globally.
Senior Information Technology Officer / PM
United Nations (OICT) · New York
Led major M365, hybrid cloud and governance initiatives across the UN Secretariat.
- Defined cloud adoption and governance integrating Azure, AWS and hybrid architectures.
- Acted as de facto DPO for 300+ services, blending ISO 27001/NIST with GDPR practices.
- Authored hybrid cloud InfoSec/privacy roadmap and cross-agency training modules.
IT Expert & PMO Head
Groupe Société Générale (BRD) · Bucharest
Headed PMO and IT initiatives for BRD GSG, impacting portfolio, cyber-security and infrastructure.
- Created PMO standards and implemented EPM tools aligned with PRINCE2 and PMI.
- Led cyber-security and cost-efficiency programmes over 300+ servers and 350+ applications.
- Worked with GE on SAP programme management and infrastructure modernisation.
Senior (Technical/Architect) Programme/Project Manager
IBM · Bucharest / national projects
Led national-scale programmes for passports, transport, rail and cyber-defence.
- Delivered Romanian electronic passport and e-vignette systems.
- Modernised CFR IRIS platform and implemented national cyber-defence for MAI.
- Managed multiple 10–30 M€ initiatives with complex stakeholder landscapes.
Senior Project / Programme Manager
Freescale (Motorola) · Romania / US / EU
Managed distributed development teams for telecom and networking products.
- Coordinated teams across the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
- Led Linux and embedded software projects and process-improvement initiatives.
Senior (Technical) Project Manager
Alcatel · Romania / EU
Delivered more than 15 major projects (including eight enterprise-scale) in telecom and public sector.
- Implemented backbone, GSM, NGN/MPLS and surveillance solutions.
- Managed up to three concurrent projects with teams of 15–75 people.
Senior System Engineer
Helinick · Romania
Designed and implemented security, control and IT systems in industrial and high-security contexts.
- Handled servers, LAN/WAN, installation and integration for nuclear, energy and FMCG clients.
Flagship projects
Organised by sector: defence, banking, oil & energy, transport, telecom & more
Romanian Electronic Passport
Nation-wide system covering the full lifecycle of electronic passports, with multiple datacentres, cyber-defence,
BI, integration and migration for 4+ main sites, 45 domestic offices and ~250 consular offices worldwide.
EURODAC & Border Systems
EU-funded systems for asylum and border management, including EURODAC and mobile surveillance with radars
and military-grade equipment, critical for EU-accession compliance.
National Cyber Defence (MAI)
Unified cyber-defence system and incident response process for more than 100,000 assets across 250+ sites,
improving detection, response and situational awareness.
BRD Enterprise PMO & EPM rollout
Enterprise project management methodology, PMO structures and Microsoft EPM implementation,
covering financial, risk, issues and change management processes and tools.
BRD Cyber Security Architecture & Cost Efficiency
Cyber-security architecture (firewalls, WAF, hardening, tools & processes) for 300+ servers
and 350+ applications, closing most audit recommendations and supporting portfolio cost reductions.
National Electronic Vignette System
National platform managing the full lifecycle of electronic vignettes, including hardware, databases,
data-warehouse, BI, help desk and training for 1,200+ users across 150+ offices nationwide.
DN1 Speed Detection & Video Surveillance
Highway surveillance system (video, speed detection, traffic management) on DN1, helping
reduce accidents and improving police response.
CFR IRIS Modernisation
Modernisation of the IT infrastructure of the IRIS railway system (tickets & assets), including servers,
BI, asset management, security and process redesign; improved reliability and reporting.
Telecom Core Networks & NGN/MPLS
Backbone, GSM, NGN/MPLS/PABX, SDH/PDH, eWAN and tactical links (Link 11, Link 16) implementations with budgets >30–40 M€,
enabling converged services and mission-critical connectivity.
Data centres & industrial control systems
Data centres, building management and control systems, and IT audits and consultancy for oil & gas,
tobacco, banking and manufacturing clients, including OMV Petrom.
Private Blockchain for Public Sector & IFIs
Private blockchain engine for e-government, addressing secure record-keeping, identity and procurement,
later sold to a top-5 tech company and integrated into public-sector solution suites.
Certifications & skills
Formal validation and key capabilities for project, service, security and architecture work
Certifications & formal training (by category)
Project / Programme / PMO & Agile
Service management & governance
Cybersecurity, data privacy & continuity
Architecture, cloud & systems
Key skills
Selected skills as recognised and endorsed across recent roles:
- Industry & domain skills: Product Management, Business Continuity Management (BCM), strategic communications, data privacy and data audit, cybercrime investigation, privacy law, privacy compliance and privacy policies.
- Cyber, privacy & risk: Cybersecurity, cybercrime investigation support, data privacy, CIPP/E-grade privacy knowledge, supplier security reviews, DPIAs/PIAs and incident analysis.
- Architecture & cloud: Enterprise and solution architecture (TOGAF-style), computer architecture, private clouds, hybrid cloud, M365, data centre virtualisation and secure multi-cloud patterns.
- Tools & technologies: M365, Azure, AWS, private clouds, DLT / blockchain engines, AI engines, collaboration platforms, content services, telecom and network infrastructures.
- Interpersonal & leadership: Communication, stakeholder management, coaching and mentoring, virtual team leadership, presales and strategic business planning.
Publications & contributions
Internal reports, reform work and technical artefacts
- Governance Contributions to internal reports on ICT governance, risk, PMO design and portfolio management for ministries, banks, defence bodies and international organisations.
- Architecture Design documents, architectures and roadmaps for e-Government, telecom and financial platforms, including cyber and business continuity considerations.
- Reform Involvement in governance and oversight initiatives within the UN system and beyond, highlighting process gaps and supporting institutional improvements.
Many deliverables are confidential internal documents. Public references and non-sensitive material can be shared upon request for specific opportunities.
Activities & interests
Balancing high-pressure work with craft and curiosity
👨🍳Fine dining & culinary creativity
Passion for reinterpreting traditional recipes using modern techniques, plating and flavour design – a structured
form of creativity parallel to architecture and design work.
⛰️Mountain trips & nature escapes
Excursions in the mountains and time spent in nature as a way to reset after demanding projects and keep a clear strategic perspective.
🤖Artificial intelligence & innovation
Active interest in AI, data and automation, exploring how they can responsibly enhance governance, risk management and decision-making.
📊Project management & mentoring
Passion for project management as a discipline and for mentoring the next generation of PMs, architects and leaders in complex environments.
Contact
Selective, impact-driven collaborations
For confidential discussions regarding defence, UN/EU, government, banking, oil & energy, telecom or international-organisation engagements, please reach out via professional channels.
Primary route: LinkedIn messaging, followed by secure email exchange where appropriate.