Owen Jenkins
Research Director, Africa, Middle East and North Africa, and Asia-Pacific
Biography
Owen is the Research Director for Africa, Middle East and North Africa, and Asia-Pacific at Chatham House.
Owen is a highly experienced leader in international affairs. Before joining Chatham House, he worked for nearly 35 years as a British diplomat, including serving on the FCDO Board as Director General for the Indo-Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, and previously as HM Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
Earlier in his career, he worked as Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan to two Prime Ministers, and held diplomatic roles in Turkey, Argentina, Brussels and India.
His depth of regional and global experience makes him exceptionally well suited to lead three of our largest and most influential programmes.
Past experience
| 2026-present | Research Director for Africa, Middle East and North Africa and Asia-Pacific, Chatham House |
| 2024-25 | Director General for Indo-Pacific and Middle East and North Africa, FCDO |
| 2019-23 | HM Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, FCDO |
| 2014-17 | Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Director for South Asia and Afghanistan, FCDO |
| 2012-14 | Balkans Director, FCDO |