About

John Hughes is based in Washington, DC and as a senior member of the Intelligence offering, he has an extensive track record working on issues at the intersection of geopolitics, geoeconomics, risk analysis, public policy and strategy across roles in government, the private sector and consulting.​

Most recently, Mr. Hughes served as the Head of Geopolitical Engagement at X (previously known as Twitter), where he drove the company’s strategies on priority global issues.​ He was a Senior Vice President at Albright Stonebridge Group, which became part of Dentons Global Advisors in 2021, where he advised clients on market entry and expansion, government affairs, and managing regulatory issues. Mr. Hughes also served as the Acting Director of the Office of Sanctions Policy and Implementation in the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. In this role, he helped set policy priorities for sanctions and export control regimes around the globe and served as a key liaison to the private sector.

Before his time in public service, Mr. Hughes served as Director of two educational language centers in San Francisco, overseeing operations to ensure a successful experience for over 250 language clients from more than 30 countries.

Mr. Hughes has discussed the business implications of sanctions and geopolitical issues in interviews with Bloomberg, POLITICO, and The Washington Post, among others. He has also been interviewed by several television and radio programs including CBS News, CNBC, and CNN.

He earned his M.A. in International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and a B.A. in English, magna cum laude, from Colby College.