Jonathan Wilks

Wilks was born at Callow End, Worcestershire, and educated at The Chase School, Malvern, and Durham University where he graduated in 1989 with a BSc degree in natural sciences.[2] He was also President of the Durham Union.[3]

After graduation he joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). After Arabic language training in London and Cairo 1991–93 he was posted to Khartoum 1993–96 and Riyadh 1996–99. He then returned to Durham University for a MA in Middle East Politics (2000), then went to St Antony's College, Oxford for a MPhil in International Relations (2002). After six months' secondment at the Cabinet Office, he was deputy head of the team that reopened the British mission in Baghdad after the Iraq War, from April to November 2003. He was deputy head of the Iraq policy unit at the FCO 2004–05 and of the security policy group 2005–07. In 2007 he was appointed the British government's first regional Arabic spokesman, based in Dubai. He was deputy head of mission in Baghdad 2009–10, then Ambassador to Yemen 2010–11. In 2012 he did the Higher Command and Staff Course at the Military Staff College, Shrivenham, then was UK Special Representative to the Syrian Opposition 2012–13, UK Special Representative for Syria 2013–14 and Ambassador to Oman 2014–17.[1][4]

Wilks was appointed CMG in the 2012 Birthday Honours.[5]