Arturo Sarukhán

Who is Arturo Sarukhán?

Arturo Sarukhan Casamitjana is a Mexican diplomat. He is currently Chairman of Global Solutions/A Podesta Company, a strategic consulting firm based in Washington, DC. He served as Mexican ambassador to the United States from January 27, 2007 to January 10, 2013; as former Consul General at New York City; as foreign policy coordinator in Felipe Calderón's presidential campaign and transition team; and as Chief of Staff for Policy Planning in Mexico's Foreign Ministry.

His grandfather, Artur Sarukhanian, was a Russian Armenian aide to the 2nd Minister-Chairman of the Russian Provisional Government, Alexander Kerensky. After Kerensky was overthrown by the Bolsheviks, Sarukhanian moved to Venice, Italy where he trained at the Mechitarist seminary. Sarukhán's grandmother fled to Thessaloniki, Greece during the Armenian Genocide, then moved to Venice, where she met and later married Sarukhanian. Shortly after Benito Mussolini came to power, they left Italy for Mexico.

On his mother’s side, Sarukhán is a descendant of Spanish Republican refugees.