37 Facts About Armen Sarkissian

Armen Vardani Sarkissian is an Armenian politician, physicist, investor, businessman, and computer scientist who was the 4th president of Armenia from 2018 to 2022.

Armen Sarkissian was Prime Minister of Armenia from 1996 to 1997.

Armen Sarkissian was the first president of post-Soviet Armenia born in the former Armenian SSR.

Armen Sarkissian was Armenia's maiden ambassador to the Vatican, the European Union, NATO, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium, and served as "Senior Ambassador" to Europe.

Armen Sarkissian served as the first chairman of the Global Council on Energy Security at the World Economic Forum, with which he has had a long association.

Armen Sarkissian authored numerous scientific articles and was a speaker and commentator on international affairs.

In October 2022, Armen Sarkissian announced that he was working on a new book titled The Small States Club: How Small Smart States can Save the World, to be published by Hurst Publishers.

Armen Sarkissian graduated from the Yerevan State University Department of Theoretical Physics and Mathematics.

Armen Sarkissian was an Honorary Doctor of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia and member of the National Competitiveness Council of Armenia.

Armen Sarkissian was one of the co-creators of the 1991 Tetris spinoff game Wordtris.

In November 1991, Sarkissian established the Armenian Embassy in London, the first Armenian diplomatic mission in the West.

Armen Sarkissian presided over a restructuring of Armenia's energy sector, which had suffered serious setbacks during the war with Azerbaijan, and oversaw reforms in the government and civil service.

Armen Sarkissian resigned in 1997 after being diagnosed with cancer [2] and was succeeded by Robert Kocharyan.

Armen Sarkissian built a lucrative private career as a consultant and business adviser to some of the world's biggest multinationals.

Armen Sarkissian was one of the directors of Eurasia House International, a Vice Chairman of the EastWest Institute in New York, and the Founding Director of the Eurasia Centre at Cambridge University's Judge Business School.

Armen Sarkissian's focus in these roles has often involved supporting democratic leadership, preventing and resolving conflict through mediation, and prompting good governance in the form of democratic institutions, open markets, human rights and the rule of law.

Armen Sarkissian was an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the School of Mathematical Sciences at Queen Mary University of London.

Armen Sarkissian enjoyed additional support from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation bloc, as well as from the Tsarukian Parliamentary bloc.

Armen Sarkissian was elected president by a majority of the National Assembly on 2 March 2018, winning 90 votes in a 105-member House.

Armen Sarkissian is credited with playing a pivotal role in finding a peaceful solution, threatening to resign if there was any use of violence.

Armen Sarkissian attained international attention when he walked into the crowds without security escort and interacted with the protesters.

Armen Sarkissian visited Tbilisi on 26 May 2018 in his first official foreign visit to participate in the centennial celebrations of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Georgia.

In June 2018, Armen Sarkissian proposed changes to the constitution to balance the President's power with the Prime Minister's power.

Armen Sarkissian said his remarks at the 15th annual Eurasian Media Forum, of which he was a co-founder.

In 2018, Sarkissian founded the Armenian chapter of the international Summit of Minds in the spa town of Dilijan.

In October 2021, Sarkissian made a historic visit to Saudi Arabia, becoming the first Armenian official to visit the kingdom.

Armen Sarkissian was said to have used his personal relationships to make it happen.

Armen Sarkissian was received by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Armen Sarkissian had long expressed frustration with the constraints on the presidency and the government's refusal to honour its pledge to reform the Constitution.

In January 2022, Sarkissian resigned as President, issuing a strongly-worded statement in which he called attention to Armenia's "paradoxical situation, where the President performs the functions of the guarantor of statehood having no real tools" and described the country as a "parliamentary republic in shape, but not in content".

Armen Sarkissian denied that his decision was connected with the OCCRP report, which was published after he had left office.

Armen Sarkissian explained that he had made a historic investment of $500,000 in a luxury hotel in St Kitts and Nevis, which has conferred citizenship on foreign investors under a "citizenship-by-investment" programme since 1984.

Armen Sarkissian had long been the target of frenzied speculation and allegations, including the claim that he had not disclosed his private wealth and that he was actively engaged as director in an overseas company while serving as President.

Besides Armenian and Russian, two languages that Sarkissian grew up speaking, he was fluent in English as a result of his time spent in the United Kingdom.

Armen Sarkissian was a personal friend of Charles III, who made a private visit to Armenia in 2013 as Sarkissian's guest.

In January 2021, Armen Sarkissian tested positive for the COVID-19 while on a visit to London.

Armen Sarkissian was shifted to a hospital and returned to Armenia following his recovery.