Dr. Armen Sarkissian is founding President of Eurasia House International in London, which fosters critical dialogue and cooperation among political and business leaders and is involved in bridge building between the West and the vast geographic space extending from Eastern Europe to Russia, to CIS and China.

He is Director of the Eurasia Programme at the Judge Business School, Cambridge University, with expertise in state-building structures and free market transition processes.

From 1976 to 1984 he was a professor of Physics at Yerevan State University and subsequently Head of the Department of Computer Modelling of Complex Systems at the University's Department of Theoretical Physics. In 1984 he became a Visiting Research Fellow and later professor at the University of Cambridge.

In October 1991, Dr. Sarkissian was invited by the President of Armenia to establish in London the first Armenian Embassy in the West. In addition to his diplomatic mission to the United Kingdom, he went on to become Senior Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Europe (Deputy Foreign Minister) and concurrently represented Armenia as Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and The Vatican. In 1995-96 he was Head of Mission of the Republic of Armenia to Europe. He was reappointed Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 1998.

Dr. Sarkissian became Prime Minister of Armenia from 1996 to 1997. The key elements of Prime Minister Sarkissian's programme were the focus on administrative reform, the fight against corruption, liberalisation and privatisation of the media, acceleration of market reforms and strengthening of democratic institutions. His programme received wide support from the international community.

He has served as Special Advisor to the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and as a Governor of EBRD from 1999-2000.

Against the background of a decade-long, dynamic diplomatic service and leadership, in 2000 Dr. Sarkissian established the Eurasia Programme at Cambridge University’s Judge Institute of Management. Under his directorship, the Programme has already implemented a series of very successful projects in both England and the Eurasia region.

Dr. Sarkissian’s distinguished advisory roles include Senior Advisor to BP. He has previously advised large corporations, such as Alcatel, Telefonica, Finmeccanica, Baekard, Rosy Blue, and others.

He is the founder of several significant investment companies, which invest in major business projects, especially in the energy, high technology, telecom and real estate sectors.

His activities in the computer software industry include authorship of game software. He is one of the original authors of TETRIS-WORDTRIS group of computer games.

Dr. Sarkissian is one of the initiators of the Eurasian Media Forum. Established in 2002, this international Forum, held annually in Kazakhstan, brings together hundreds of high level government officials, business executives, media leaders, journalists and experts. He has also established another high power annual conference (since 2003) at the University of Cambridge. This international gathering focuses on political, economic and business development issues in the Central Eurasian/Caspian region.

He holds honorary and executive positions in numerous international organisations, including Member of the Board of Directors of East West Institute; Advisory Board Member of the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; Harris School of Public Policy Studies, University of Chicago; IREX; International Economic Alliance; Global Leadership Foundation (headed by former President of South Africa F. W. De Klerk) and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary & Westfield College, London University; the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, and others.

Dr. Sarkissian is a member of World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Energy Security.

In 1997 His Holiness Pope John Paul II bestowed the St. Gregory the Great Award to Dr. Sarkissian. He is a faculty member of the World Economic Forum and a frequent speaker (since 2002) at its annual forum in Davos.

He has authored numerous academic articles and books on theoretical physics, astrophysics, computer modelling, political science and transition economics. He is a frequent speaker at high-level conferences, seminars, and gatherings on issues, such as, leadership, political economy, security, geopolitics and other development in Eurasia.