The August BBF will be hosted by HM’s Ambassador, Jon Wilks, at the British Residence. For those who are unfamiliar with HMA’s background, details of his career to date are posted below. He is committed to supporting business links between Britain and Oman via UK Trade and Investment, the commercial section of the British Embassy. In October last year Jonathan (Jon) Paul Wilks CMG was appointed a new Ambassador was appointed to Sultanate of Oman. The UK government wants to double the UK’s global exports to £1 trillion by 2020 and attract more inward investment in UK infrastructure projects. Jon and the UK Trade & Investment team are committed to applying this policy in Oman and to supporting UK businesses looking to do business here. Jon will be hosting the BBF in August where you will have a chance to meet him in person. Jon has extensive experience in the region. His biography is below: Appointments: • 10/14 – present Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman • 05/12 – 10/14 UK Special Representative for Syria • 10/10 – 12/11 Ambassador to Yemen • 06/09 – 07/10 Deputy Head of Mission, Baghdad • 04/07 – 04/09 British Government’s Regional Arabic Spokesman, Dubai • 02/05 – 03/07 Deputy Head Security Policy Group, FCO • 02/04 – 02/05 Deputy Head Iraq Policy Unit, FCO • 04/03 – 11/03 Deputy Head, British Office, Baghdad • 10/02 – 04/03 Seconded to Cabinet Office Assessments Staff • 10/96 – 04/99 First Secretary (Economics), Riyadh • 12/93 – 09/96 Second Secretary (Political/Media), Khartoum • 09/91 – 06/93 Full Time Arabic Study in London and Cairo • 04/90 – 09/91 Assistant Desk Officer, Iran • 09/89 Joined FCO Education • 2000 MA in Middle East Politics, Durham • 2002 MPhil in International Relations, St Antony’s College, Oxford • 2012 Higher Command and Staff Course, Military Staff College, Shrivenham