Les Janka

From 2007 until his retirement in 2014, Les Janka served in a series of senior executive positions in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – most recently as President-Saudi Arabia for Quincy International, President of Raytheon Arabian Systems Company, and Vice President, Network Centric Systems Operations. In the private sector, Mr. Janka also led the Middle East and Africa government relations and trade advisory practice as executive vice president for one of Washington’s premier foreign policy lobbying and public affairs firms, as well as serving as a consultant for major U.S. and European companies doing business in Saudi Arabia. 

In government, Les Janka served in the White House and Department of Defense under three Presidents – as Special Assistant to President Reagan and Deputy Press Secretary for Foreign Affairs, as Special Assistant to Dr. Henry Kissinger and Senior Staff Member on the National Security Council staff under President Ford, and as a member of President Nixon’s delegation to Saudi Arabia in 1974. He also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Near Eastern and African Affairs, where he oversaw major arms sales to Saudi Arabia, including the F-15.

Mr. Janka has also served as Vice President of the National Council on US-Arab Relations and as Founding Chairman of the Council for American-Saudi Dialogue. He holds a B.A. in economics from the University of the Redlands and an MA in international economics and Middle East studies from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.