People

Tarqeq leadership

ABHIJNAN REJ

Founder & Chief Scientist and Designated Partner

Abhijnan REJ leads Tarqeq’s research and development activities, and consulting and training engagements. He has worked on strategic and security studies, mathematical physics, economic policy, finance, and technology, and has also been a mathematics lecturer, in course of a unique career spanning think tanks, consulting, media, corporate R&D, and academia. He is author of more than 30 research papers, reports, and briefs, and more than 340 essays and media articles.

RASHMI REKHA MISHRA

Research Manager and Designated Partner

Rashmi Rekha MISHRA curates and maintains internal and proprietary research databases at Tarqeq, and leads the firm’s administration and project management. She holds a first-class B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Mathematics & Computing from Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. An accomplished artist, Mishra also holds a Chitra Visharad diploma in Fine Arts (Painting) from Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh.

ASIM KUMAR REJ, IB(P)S (Retd.)

Senior Advisor

Mr Asim Kumar REJ joined All India Radio in 1975 and was inducted into the newly-created Indian Broadcasting (Programme) Service in 1990. Mr Rej retired in JAG (Selection Grade), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, as Station Director, All India Radio, Kolkata in 2006. Since then, he has pursued an active second career as a well-known author and speaker on Indian and Western art. An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi, Mr Rej also holds an MA in Ancient Indian History and Culture from the University of Calcutta.

SAMIR PURI, PhD

Senior Advisor

Dr Samir PURI has 17 years of experience in the academic, think tank and public sectors. His most recent role was Senior Fellow in Urban Security and Hybrid Warfare at the International Institute for Strategic Studies based in Singapore. In 2018-19 he was Assistant Head of Research at the UK Ministry of Defence’s think tank DCDC. In 2017 he was seconded to the Commonwealth Secretariat to author its strategy on countering violent extremism. Earlier in his career, he was a lecturer in War Studies at King’s College London (2015-18); served in the UK Foreign Office (2009-15); and was a Defence Analyst at RAND Europe (2006-09). Dr Puri has authored four books, most recently Russia’s Road to War in Ukraine (Biteback, 2022), and The Great Imperial Hangover (Atlantic, 2020). Dr Puri holds a PhD from Cambridge University, an MA in War Studies from King’s and a BA in History and Politics from Warwick University.

FOMBAH TEH SIRLEAF

Senior Advisor

Mr Fombah Teh SIRLEAF is an accomplished professional and intuitive leader with progressive experience developing innovative national security strategies. From 2006 to 2018, Mr Sirleaf served as the principal advisor to the President of the Republic of Liberia for intelligence matters related to national security in his role as Director of Liberia’s National Security Agency. Mr Sirleaf has been recognized by the US Drug Enforcement Agency for outstanding contributions in the field of drug law enforcement and was a key driver in establishing a Joint intelligence Task Force and Analysis Center for Africa. He has a proven track record of engaging clients, guiding intelligence best practices, and steering security initiatives in support of leading organizations. Mr Sirleaf thrives in high-volume environments with the ability to optimize ever-changing security needs, improve intelligence collection, and continuously drive results. He is adept at cultivating partnerships and building lasting relationships across diverse government sectors. Mr Sirleaf holds a Master of Science degree in organizational development from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Science degree in systems engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

AMIRA JADOON, PhD

Senior Advisor

Dr Amira JADOON is an assistant professor in the department of Political Science at Clemson University, United States. Prior to joining Clemson, she worked at the United States Military Academy at West Point, jointly appointed in the department of Social Sciences and the Combating Terrorism Center (2017-2022). She also holds external appointments at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT-The Hague), and the Stimson Center (Washington DC). Dr Jadoon specializes in global security, political violence, counterterrorism strategies and terrorism trends. She has published in numerous academic journals and is also the author of the book, The Islamic State in Afghanistan and Pakistan: Strategic Rivalries and Alliances (Lynne Rienner, 2023). In 2022, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) named Jadoon as one of 50 honorees in the US National Security & Foreign Affairs Leadership List. She regularly briefs and engages with elements at all levels of the United States Government, including the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense as well as with international policymakers. Dr Jadoon holds a PhD in Political Science (State University of New York, Albany) and an MSc in Economic Development (London School of Economics). Prior to beginning her career in academia and research, Dr Jadoon worked as a consultant for Deloitte London between 2006-2011.

Tarqeq Research LLP provides bespoke research-based solutions and training to help meet a wide range of global security challenges of concern to businesses, national and subnational governments using cutting-edge methods steeped in contemporary scientific traditions.