Norine MacDonald KC is the founder and president of the RAINCLOUD Group, which operates specialized B2B digital platforms for various industries. RAINCLOUD DEFENSE is its first platform, with others to follow in sectors such as semiconductors, biotech, and fintech.
Ms. MacDonald is a lawyer and a Former Visiting Distinguished Fellow at the National Defense University. She co-authored Killing Me Softly: Competition in Artificial Intelligence and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles with George Howell. She also holds a certification in Artificial Intelligence from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management.
MacDonald has been honored with the U.S. Department of the Army Decoration for Distinguished Civilian Service and the Distinguished Public Service Medal. Additionally, she was awarded the First Class Medal of Merit by the Italian Red Cross.
She has testified before several high-profile government institutions, including the U.S. Senate Caucus, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, the Standing Committee on National Defence in Canada, and the House of Commons’ Defence Committee in the United Kingdom.
MacDonald’s work has been widely featured in publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post. She has also appeared on media outlets such as CNN, BBC and CBC. Previously, she was the President and Founder of The International Council on Security and Development (ICOS), a think tank specializing in international security and development, with offices in London, Rio de Janeiro, Brussels, Paris, and Afghanistan. MacDonald has been a member of the Network of European Foundations for Innovative Cooperation (NEF) and the International Advisory Council of the International Crisis Group. She co-edited two books: Global Philanthropy and Philanthropy in Europe: A Rich Past, A Promising Future.
With a deep international background in defense, intelligence, advocacy, and philanthropy and law MacDonald was awarded the professional designation of Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel.