Piotr Wilczek

Professor Piotr Wilczek

Author, academic, and senior Polish diplomat. Former Ambassador of Poland to the United Kingdom (2022–25), the United States (2016–21), and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas (2017–21). Professor of Humanities (title conferred by the President of Poland, 2006). Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (Cleveland State University, 2017).

Born 26 April 1962, Chorzów, Poland.

I work at the intersection of diplomacy, security, education, and culture. Over nearly a decade in senior postings in Washington and London, I worked closely with decision-makers on defence cooperation, NATO affairs, and multilateral security; advanced energy security and strategic infrastructure (LNG, clean-energy transition, diversification); and promoted trade, investment, and industrial partnerships. For contributions to economic diplomacy, I received the Amicus Oeconomiae award (2020).

Before entering the foreign service, I held senior academic leadership roles, including Head of Collegium Artes Liberales at the University of Warsaw and Dean of the Faculty of Modern Languages at the University of Silesia.

I have held visiting and research appointments at leading institutions such as the University of Oxford (St Anne’s College), Harvard University, the University of Chicago, Rice University, Boston College, and the Warburg Institute (British Academy Visiting Fellow; Saxl Fellow). I have spoken at international forums including the Aspen Security Forum, the US STRATCOM Deterrence Symposium, and the Wrocław Global Forum.

I am the author or editor of over twenty books and more than one hundred scholarly articles. My commentary on international affairs and culture has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Spectator, The National Interest, The Hill, and Monocle. I serve on editorial boards in the UK, Poland, and the US, and review for presses such as Routledge, De Gruyter, and Ohio University Press.

Expertise: Transatlantic relations and security policy; energy policy and strategic infrastructure; trade and economic affairs; cultural exchange and public diplomacy; higher education, research and innovation; media, public discourse, and strategic communication; civil society partnerships.

Leadership & governance: President, Kościuszko Foundation Poland (2014–16); Director of Doctoral Studies, Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, University of Warsaw (2010–16); Deputy Director, College of Interdepartmental Individual Studies in the Humanities, University of Warsaw (2008–13).

Education: Habilitation (2001), PhD in Literary Studies (1992), and MA in Polish Studies (1986) — University of Silesia; Diploma in Neo-Latin Studies — University of Łódź (1989); postgraduate studies — University of Oxford (St Anne’s College) and the Warburg Institute, University of London.

Languages: Polish (native), English (C2), Latin (C1), Russian (B2), German (A2).

Affiliations: Member of international scholarly organisations; coordinator for East-Central Europe, Refo500/RefoRC (2011–16); leader or co-leader of EU- and Poland-funded research projects.