Sir Sherard Louis Cowper-Coles KCMG LVO (born in London, England, 8 January 1955[1]) is a British diplomat. From 2009 to 2010 the Foreign Secretary's Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, he is now BAE Systems' international business development director, focusing on the Middle East and south-east Asia. His surname is pronounced 'cooper coals'.
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The son of Sherard Hamilton Cowper-Coles and Dorothy Cowper-Coles (née Short).
He was educated at Freston Lodge School, New Beacon School, Tonbridge School and Hertford College, Oxford.[2] He read classics at Hertford College, Oxford, and speaks fluent Arabic, Hebrew, and French and has studied Pashto.
Cowper-Coles entered the diplomatic service in 1977. He was Third Secretary and later Second Secretary in Cairo, 1980–1983, First Secretary in the Planning Staff of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1983–1985; Private Secretary to the Permanent Under-secretary of State, 1985–1987, First Secretary in Washington, 1987–1991, Assistant in the Security Policy Department of the FCO, 1991–1993, Resident Associate, International Institute for Strategic Studies, 1993–1994; Head of the Hong Kong Department of the FCO, 1994–1997, Political Counsellor in Paris, 1997–1999; Principal Private Secretary to Robin Cook, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, 1999–2001.[2]
His first role as a head of mission was in Tel Aviv as the British Ambassador to Israel from 2001 to 2003. He was next appointed ambassador to Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, a post that he held until 2006. From 15 May 2007 until April 2009 he served as ambassador to Afghanistan in Kabul.[2] In February 2009 it was announced that he would be taking up a new role as special representative of the UK Foreign Secretary to Afghanistan and Pakistan.[3]
In early 2010 it is reported that he clashed with senior Nato and US officials over his insistence that the military-driven counter-insurgency effort was headed for failure, and that talks with the Taliban should be prioritised.[4]
On the 21st June 2010 the British high commission announced he had taken "extended leave" from his position in Afghanistan.[4] Following comments from the Foreign Secretary William Hague, it appeared unlikely he would return to the post,.[5]
In 2011 Cowper-Coles became BAE Systems' international business development director, focusing on the Middle East and south-east Asia.[6] His appointment at BAE caused some controversy, since he is thought to have “had a profound effect” on the decision by Robert Wardle, then director of the UK's Serious Fraud Office, to end an investigation into BAE's allegedly corrupt dealings with Saudi Arabia.[7]
He attracted controversy in October 2008 when a leaked French diplomatic cable suggested he had been sharply critical of Karzai and US policy. While insisting Britain should support the US, he was quoted as saying: "We should tell them that we want to be part of a winning strategy, not a losing one." [8][9]
This memo leak occurred the same week another additional memo was leaked concerning fellow British ambassador, Sir Nigel Sheinwald's comments with regard to US Senator Barack Obama. Both leaks concerned foreign policy and occurred in the final weeks of the 2008 US Presidential Election.[10]
Cowper-Coles is referred to in the film Bridget Jones, The Edge of Reason, when the character Mark Darcy speaks to him about Bridget's imprisonment in Thailand.
In 1982, he married Bridget Mary Elliott, and they have four sons, Henry Sherard, Rupert Neil, Frederick Peter and Myles Philip, and one daughter, Minna Louise.[2]
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Francis Cornish |
British Ambassador to Israel 2001–2003 |
Succeeded by Simon McDonald |
| Preceded by Sir Derek Plumbly |
British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia 2003–2006 |
Succeeded by Sir William Patey |
| Preceded by Stephen Evans |
British Ambassador to Afghanistan 2007–2009 |
Succeeded by Mark Sedwill |