Jan Weidenfeld was Director Policy and Advisory. He oversaw MERICS’s advisory portfolio and manages relations with key public and private sector stakeholders. Jan was also heavily invested in MERICS's research activities on Europe-China economic and political relations, German, European and transatlantic approaches to China policy, as well as China’s global political influencing activities and security policies.

Prior to joining MERICS, he was a consultant with the RAND Corporation, where he led European foreign and public policy research efforts for EU member states, institutions, and agencies. Previously, he also worked with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the OSCE, the EU Delegation to the International Organizations in Vienna, the European Union Institute for Security Studies, and the European Centre for Development Policy Management. Jan holds an MPhil in International Relations from the University of Cambridge as well as BA degrees in European Studies from the University of Maastricht and in International Relations and Politics from the University of Sussex.