Dr. Amb. András Simonyi

Managing Director, Center for Transatlantic Relations, Johns Hopkins University

Biography

H.E. András Simonyi majored in transport economics at the Karl Marx University of Economics in Budapest. He graduated in 1975, writing his thesis on Denmark's security policy in the 20th century. From 1984 to 1989 he worked for the Socialist Workers Party in Hungary in the foreign relations departments. From 1991 to 1992, he became Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) in The Hague and in 1992 he became Deputy chief of mission (DCM) at the Mission of Hungary to the European Communities and NATO in Brussels until 1995. From 1995 until 1999, he headed the Hungarian Liaison Office to NATO in Brussels where he was a key player in preparing Hungarian membership in NATO and was a member of the delegation to negotiate Hungary's accession to the Alliance. In 1999, he became the first Hungarian Permanent Representative on the NATO Council.