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Asif Ahmad
CMG
Asif Ahmad CMG
British High Commissioner to Jamaica
	In office; August 2017 – August 2021
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Theresa May; Boris Johnson
Preceded by	David Fitton
Succeeded by	Judith Slater
British High Commissioner to the Bahamas
	In office; 2017–2019
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Theresa May
Preceded by	David Fitton
Succeeded by	Sarah Dickson
British Ambassador to the Philippines and Ambassador to Palau
	In office; July 2013 – July 2017
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	David Cameron; Theresa May
Preceded by	Stephen Lillie
Succeeded by	Daniel Pruce
British Ambassador to Laos and Ambassador to Thailand
	In office; 2010–2012
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	Quinton Quayle
Succeeded by	Philip Malone (as Ambassador to Laos); Mark Kent (as Ambassador to Thailand)
Personal details
Born	21 January 1956 (age 68); London, England
Alma mater	St Cuthbert's Society, Durham
Profession	Diplomat

Asif Ahmad CMG (Bengali: আসিফ আনোয়ার আহমেদ; born 21 January 1956) is a banker-turned-diplomat, having served as a Senior Civil Servant at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. From 2017 to August 2021 he was the British High Commissioner to Jamaica. He was the British Ambassador to Thailand from November 2010 until August 2012.^[1] He was the British Ambassador to the Philippines from July 2013 to 2017.^[2] He has also been accredited to the Bahamas, Palau and Laos.

Early life

Ahmad was born on 21 January 1956 in London, England. He is the son of the late Salahuddin Ahmad, a Pakistani and later Bangladeshi diplomat and Bandana Ahmad, an expert in social services in the UK. He was educated at the Community High School, Tehran and then Carlisle Technical College. He studied economics at St Cuthbert's Society, Durham University, graduating in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. Later, he attended INSEAD and completed its International Executive Program in 1991.^[3]

Career

He joined National Westminster Bank, where he stayed until 1996, during which time he studied at INSEAD. His banking career included roles in International Banking, oversight of Coutts & Co and as Senior Manager of a network of high street branches centred at County Hall, London. He joined Business Link London in 1996, as a Personal Business Adviser, transferring to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in 1999. After a period in the FCO's Resource and Budgeting Department he was appointed to the Senior Civil Service and served as Head of the Commonwealth Department.^[1]

In 2003, Ahmad was seconded to the Prime Minister's Office where he served as head of the Communication and Information Centre for a period, and then to UK Trade and Investment where he was Director, Asia from 2004 until 2008. He returned to FCO policy work as head of the South East Asia and Pacific department, dealing with issues relating to ASEAN countries, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. For a short period in 2009, he ran the British embassy in Rangoon.^[2]

In 2010, Ahmad was appointed as Her Majesty's Ambassador to Thailand and Laos. Apart from the UK, he has lived in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Japan, China, Poland, Thailand, Philippines and Jamaica.^[1]^[2]

From July 2013 to July 2017 he was British Ambassador to the Philippines and to Palau. In August 2017 he became the British High Commissioner to Jamaica.^[4]

Awards and recognition

In January 2014, Ahmad was nominated for the Civil Servant of the Year award at the British Muslim Awards.^[5]

In 2017, Ahmad was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2017 Birthday Honours.^[6]

Honours

Key to the City

Cebu, Philippines (12 March 2015)^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c A & C Black (2012). "Ahmad, Asif Anwar". Whoswho 2012, online edition. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
^ ^a ^b ^c Foreign and Commonwealth Office. "Announcement". FCO website. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
^ "AHMAD, Asif Anwar". Who's Who 2015. A & C Black. October 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
^ "Asif Ahmad CMG". GOV.UK. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
^ "British Muslim Awards 2014 winners". Asian Image. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
^ "No. 61962". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2017. p. B10.
^ British Embassy Manila [@ukinphilippines] (12 March 2015). "PIC: Earlier today Amb @AsifAAhmad & British business delegation met with Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Almendras Magpale" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Quinton Quayle	British Ambassador to Thailand 2010–2012	Succeeded by Mark Kent
Preceded by Quinton Quayle	British Ambassador to Laos 2010–2012	Succeeded by Philip Malone
Preceded by Stephen Lillie	British Ambassador to the Philippines 2013–2017	Succeeded by Daniel Pruce
Preceded by Stephen Lillie	British Ambassador to Palau 2013–2017	Succeeded by Daniel Pruce
Preceded by David Fitton	British High Commissioner to the Bahamas 2017–2019	Succeeded by Sarah Dickson
Preceded by David Fitton	British High Commissioner to Jamaica 2017-2021	Succeeded by Judith Slater