Mohammed Shokat takes over from predecessor Kate Rudd as consul general and Michael Cockle, who will also act as deputy consul, replaces Gregg Gibson as the UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) representative.
Shokat brings with him a foundation of legal training, at least a decade of experience in the Foreign Office and, as he proudly admits, weaknesses for football and cricket both of which he has played up to representative level.
He was born and bred in Yorkshire town of Dewsbury, a town with a history of political activity from Luddite opposition, to industrialization in the 1700s through Chartist insurrection, to a rising in 1840 when agitators seized control of the town.
Yorkshiremen, and Dewsbury folk in particular, carry a social gene of speaking their minds and following sound principles. This radical tradition left a legacy in the political life of the town, whose first elected MP in 1868 was John Simon, a Jewish lawyer from Jamaica and a liberal in a then deeply conservative Britain.
Shokat’s own background as a Muslim with Pakistani roots has prospered in the much less rebellious but still plain speaking tradition of his home.
He trained as a lawyer but a year or so after graduating reviewed his future in the legal profession and decided he wanted a wider life. Having developed an intense interest in things Middle Eastern he began to attempt Arabic as a foreign language (he was already fluent in English and Urdu).
Then he joined the UK Foreign Office in 2001 after a stint as assistant legal adviser at the UK Department for Transport and embarked on the journey that brought him finally to Jeddah.
His journey took him through Arabic language training in Jordan, two years in Doha as political and embassy spokesman and head of the Political and Economic Team in Baghdad.
After a year in the Iraq policy unit in London, Shokat arrived in Jeddah with his wife and two children just in time to celebrate Eid.
A dedicated traveler within the countries he has been posted in, Shokat was very keen to explore the Kingdom in depth. “You’ve got to explore the country you’re in. It’s an opportunity, a life experience that you have to take advantage of,” he said.
Asked what he wanted to achieve while he was here, Shokat was characteristically direct.
“I could just use the corporate phrases about broadening and deepening relationships,” he said, pausing for a moment. “And I will because that is actually what we do. We know how important Saudi Arabia and our relationship with it is to the UK, let’s not underestimate that. Our job here is all about strengthening that relationship in all the different ways possible.”
On top of his consular duty, Shokat is UK special representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
“Let’s not forget that we have a British community that lives here and we have a responsibility to them as well,” he said. He added that there was also a direct responsibility to the pilgrims from the UK that will come for both Haj and Umrah.
It’s all of that plus taking up and building on "the strong relationships built up by my predecessor Kate Rudd and her team and carrying them forward,” he said. It was, he reflected, a daunting challenge for both Michael Cockle and himself.
Squaring himself up he smiled: “And I’m looking forward to it!”
