Dominic Asquith

KCMG insignia

The Hon. Sir Dominic Anthony Gerard Asquith, KCMG (born 7 February 1957) is a British diplomat and former British Ambassador to Iraq, Egypt and Libya.

Background and education

Asquith is the younger son of the 2nd Earl of Oxford and Asquith by his wife the late Anne Palairet (d. 1998), and a great-grandson of H.H. Asquith, a former British Prime Minister. Asquith's elder brother Raymond, father Lord Oxford KCMG, and maternal grandfather Sir Michael Palairet, all served as British diplomats. Like his father and brother, he was educated at Ampleforth College.

Diplomatic career

Asquith joined HM Diplomatic Service in 1983 and served at Damascus, Muscat, Washington, D.C., Buenos Aires and Riyadh before being appointed Deputy Head of Mission in Iraq in 2004, Director of the Iraq Directorate at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2004–06 and Ambassador to Iraq 2006–07. He was Ambassador to Egypt 2007–11 and Ambassador to Libya 2011–12.

On 4 December 2009, Asquith gave evidence before Parliament to The Iraq Inquiry.[1]

Asquith survived an assassination attempt in June 2012 when a British convoy was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade 300 yards from the Benghazi Consulate office.[2] In September 2012 Asquith had to extend a routine break from Libya for medical treatment[3] and in January 2013 he was officially replaced by Michael Aron.[4]

Asquith was appointed CMG in 2004[5] and knighted as KCMG in the 2012 New Year Honours.[6][7]

Asquith retired from Crown service in March 2013.[8]

Post-diplomatic career

In May 2013 Asquith took an unpaid position leading a trade delegation to Libya organised by the Libyan British Business Council.[9]

In June 2013 Sir Dominic took a paid position as senior consultant with Tatweer Research, a Libyan research and development company, specialising in technology and engineering.[10]

Career achievements

Family

Asquith married in 1988 Louise Cotton, who had worked as a secretary in the British Foreign Office and resigned upon her marriage. Sir Dominic and Lady Asquith have two daughters (b. 1989 and 1990) and two sons (b. 1992 and 1994).[11]

References

  1. ↑ Transcript of Dominic Asquith, Iraq Inquiry, 7 Dec 2009
  2. ↑ "British ambassador to Libya escapes uninjured after his convoy is hit by rocket-propelled grenade". Daily Mail. June 11, 2012.
  3. ↑ Michael Aron, formerly Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Iraq, will be temporarily replacing Sir Dominic Asquith as Acting Head of Mission in Libya, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 13 September 2012
  4. ↑ Change of Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Libya, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 14 January 2013
  5. ↑ Honours and Awards
  6. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 60009. p. 3. 31 December 2011.
  7. ↑ New Year Honours List 2012: full list, Telegraph.co.uk
  8. ↑ Appointments taken up by former Crown servants, Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, 13 November 2013
  9. ↑ ACOBA Asquith LBBC, Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, 12 April 2013
  10. ↑ ACOBA Asquith Tatweer, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 26 June 2013
  11. ↑ ASQUITH, Hon. Sir Dominic (Anthony Gerard), Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
William Patey		 British Ambassador to Iraq
2006–2007 		Succeeded by
Christopher Prentice
Preceded by
Sir Derek Plumbly		 British Ambassador to Egypt
2007–2011 		Succeeded by
James Watt
Preceded by
Sir John Jenkins		 British Ambassador to Libya
2011–2012 		Succeeded by
Michael Aron

External links