Réka Szemerkényi is a Senior Advisor on Transatlantic Strategy at the International Republican Institute.
Dr. Szemerkényi is a recognized expert on transatlantic strategy, European security, energy security, high level speaker at international conferences at the Penn-Biden Center, the McCain Institute, the Jamestown Foundation, at the Hybrid Defense Academy for Senior Executives, at SAIS, the Johns Hopkins University, Guest Lecturer at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, at the Catholic University Pázmány, at the Karoli Protestant University in Hungary and at the University of Milan, Italy.
Prior to joining IRI, she was Executive Vice President of CEPA, the Center for European Policy Analysis (2017-20). She was Ambassador of Hungary to the United States (2015-7), State Secretary, Foreign and Security Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister (2011-5, 1998-2002) and Senior Advisor in the Ministry of Defense (1990-4). Her business experience includes being Senior Advisor to the Chairman and CEO of MOL Group, the Oil and Gas Company (2006-11) and Consultant of the World Bank (1994).