Asif Ahmad

Not to be confused with Asif Ahmed.

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	(1956-01-21) 21 January 1956 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. He was the British Ambassador to the Philippines from July 2013 to 2017. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Awards and recognition

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

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

Honours

Key to the City

• Cebu, Philippines (12 March 2015)