Stuart Laing (diplomat)
Stuart Laing (born 22 July 1948)[1] was a British diplomat, and is now Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He graduated from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge in 1970 having studied Classics.[2] He entered the diplomatic service in 1970. During his service in the Diplomatic Service, Laing held the following offices:[1]
- Deputy Ambassador to the Czech Republic—1989-1992
- Deputy Ambassador to Saudi Arabia—1992-1995
- High Commissioner to Brunei—1998-2002
- Ambassador to Oman—2002-2005
- Ambassador to Kuwait—2005-2008
He was appointed Master of his old college Corpus Christi on the 1 October 2008 succeeding Oliver Rackham.[3] He researches and writes on Arab and East African history and in 2012 he published, jointly with Robert Alston, Unshook till the end of time, a book on the history of Britain’s relationship with Oman.[4] The degree of M.Phil. was conferred to him in 2013[5] for a thesis on the political history of Oman.[6] Laing is a keen amateur musician; he plays keyboard instruments and the oboe. His other recreations are desert travel and hill-walking.[7] Laing is married to Sibella (daughter of Sir Maurice Henry Dorman, herself a graduate in History of Newnham College, Cambridge) and has a son and two daughters.[8]
Laing found himself under a shroud of controversy in late February 2011 when accompanying a trade delegation to the Middle East, led by the British Prime Minister David Cameron, that contained several delegates from UK defence companies including BAE Systems and Thales Group.[9] Laing attended in his official capacity as Deputy Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University along with the heads of other British universities such as Imperial College London and University College London.[10] Objections were raised that, as such weapons and devices of public order control had recently been used by the governments of Egypt and Libya, it was irresponsible for the University to be involved in such a trip.[11]
References
- 1 2 http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/press-release/2005/05/fco_npr_290405_changhcommkuwait
- ↑ http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/press/dpp/2008060506
- ↑ http://www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk/news/article/default.aspx?objid=47830
- ↑ Unshook till the end of time : a history of relations between Britain & Oman, 1650-1970 / Robert Alston and Stuart Laing. London : Gilgamesh Publishing, 2012.
- ↑ Cambridge University Reporter No 6307, Vol cxliii No 30 (15 May 2013)
- ↑ Factors in the decisions by the sultans of Muscat and Zanzibar to end the slave trade and slavery in their dominions, 1820-1900 / Stuart Laing : University of Cambridge. Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, 2012.
- ↑ http://www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/fellowship/master/
- ↑ http://www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/oldmembers/news.php?newid=144
- ↑ http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/feb/21/cameron-cairo-visit-defence-trade
- ↑ http://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/22823/full_list_of_business_contractors_on_pms_tour_of_middle_east.html
- ↑ http://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/download/TCS_Volume12_Lent_Issue6.pdf
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Ivan Callan |
High Commissioner to Brunei 1998-2002 |
Succeeded by Andrew Caie |
| Preceded by Sir Ivan Callan |
Ambassador to Oman 2002–2005 |
Succeeded by Dr Noel Guckian |
| Preceded by Chris Wilton |
Ambassador to Kuwait 2005–2008 |
Succeeded by Michael Aron |
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Oliver Rackham |
Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge 2008-present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |