Ivan Timofeev became the new CEO of RIAC

As it became known to Kommersant, Ivan Timofeev was elected the new director general of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC). He will replace Andrey Kortunov, who will become the scientific director of the organization. Former Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has been re-elected President of the RIAC. These are the results of the general meeting of council members.

Earlier, the RIA Novosti agency, citing a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry, explained the reason for Andrei Kortunov’s demotion: “his work at Smolenka is assessed as unsatisfactory, he will not retain his post.” “INF should become an effective tool for implementing the updated foreign policy concept,” the ministry told the agency.

The council describes its mission as follows: “Promoting the prosperity of Russia through integration into the global world.” “RIAC is a link between the state, the expert community, business and civil society in solving foreign policy problems,” the Council’s website says (.pdf).

Andrey Kortunov has been the CEO of RIAC since 2011. Graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, postgraduate studies at the Institute of the USA and Canada of the USSR Academy of Sciences, candidate of historical sciences. He worked at the US and Canada Institute, including director of the US Foreign Policy Division and deputy director of the Institute. He has taught international relations at European and American universities. He headed a number of Russian public organizations and foundations in the fields of higher education, social sciences and social development. Member of the expert, supervisory and board of trustees of many Russian and international public organizations, a member of the editorial boards of several academic journals. He has numerous publications in Russia and abroad. The main areas of scientific activity: international relations, foreign and domestic policy of Russia, Russian-American relations. He regularly wrote author’s columns for Kommersant.

RIAC President Igor Ivanov told reporters on Tuesday that “the participants in the general meeting decided to express gratitude to A. Kortunov for his many years of fruitful work in the position of Director General of the RIAC and spoke in favor of continuing constructive cooperation.”

Ivan Timofeev Since 2011, he has been Program Director at RIAC. He was responsible for the meaningful work of the RIAC: research, educational and publishing projects, relations with government agencies and the media. Since 2015, he has also been the head of the Euro-Atlantic Security Institutes program of the Valdai Club. Prior to joining RIAC, he held the positions of MGIMO Academic Secretary of the Russian Foreign Ministry and Director of the MGIMO Analytical Center. From 2006 to the present, he has been an associate professor at MGIMO. PhD in Political Science. Author and co-author of more than 80 publications published in Russia and abroad. Member of the editorial board of the journal Comparative Politics, professor at the Academy of Military Sciences. For Kommersant, Ivan Timofeev regularly wrote author’s columns about sanctions.

Elena Chernenko