UK Trade Commissioner for the Middle East, Simon Penney, resigns

He said after five years, it was 'time to pass the reins on'

Simon Penney has resigned as the UK's Trade Commissioner for the Middle East and Pakistan. Ruel Pableo / The National

The UK's Trade Commissioner for the Middle East and Pakistan, Simon Penney, has resigned after five years in the job.

Mr Penney, who is also British Consul General for Dubai and the Northern Emirates, said representing the UK in the “dynamic region” was one of the biggest privileges he had ever had.

“After five amazing years as HM Trade Commissioner to the Middle East, it is time for me to pass the reins on,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

“Exports are at an all-time high, we have started free trade negotiations with the Gulf, and secured investments programmes into the UK worth in excess of £25 billion.”

Mr Penney had been the UK's Trade Commissioner for the Middle East and Pakistan since May 2018.

He was appointed as British Consul General for Dubai and the Northern Emirates in January 2021.

Much of his experience has been in the banking sector. He headed up corporate and international banking at First Gulf Bank and was the chief executive for the Middle East and Africa with the Royal Bank of Scotland.

He was also the chief executive for ABN AMRO bank in South Africa.

Free trade deal

On social media, Mr Penney received scores of messages thanking him for his support in promoting trade ties between the UK and the Middle East, including from the UK Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, Graham Stuart, and Vincent Keaveny, the former Lord Mayor of the City of London.

As Trade Commissioner, part of Mr Penney's role was to help secure a free trade deal with the GCC.

The UK government says a free trade agreement would lead to a 16 per cent increase in trade with GCC – comprising Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and could add at least £1.6 billion [$1.97 billion] a year to the UK economy.