Biography
Jon Wilks is an associate fellow with Chatham House MENA Programme. He served in the UK Diplomatic Service for 34 years, including as Ambassador to Qatar, Iraq, Oman and Yemen, as well as Syria Envoy.
He is fluent in Arabic and runs his own consultancy, and acts as a senior adviser to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies and the Iraq Britain Business Council. His research interests include Iraq, Syria and the GCC, and US and UK Foreign Policy.
Past experience
| 2024– | Jon Wilks Consulting Limited: main clients Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies and Iraq Britain Business Council |
| 1989–2023 | UK Diplomatic Service (including five Ambassadorial postings in the Middle East) |
| 2002 | MPhil International Relations, St Antony’s College, Oxford University |
| 2000 | MA Middle East Politics (with distinction), Durham University |