Dominic Asquith

Dominic Asquith was Director Iraq in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 2004 to 2006 and subsequently served as the British Ambassador in Baghdad.

More recently Asquith was HM Ambassador to Libya. He retired from the Crown Service in March 2013.

Post civil service career

Libyan consultancy

In June 2013 Asquith took up a part time, paid appointment as senior consultant with Tatweer Research, a Libyan research and development company, specialising in technology and engineering.

When considering his application for this role, ACOBA noted:

that the appointment was likely to include contact with Sir Dominic’s Department/Government and that Sir Dominic had had official contact with the Chief Executive of Tatweer Research, although not with the company itself. The Committee also noted that Sir Dominic had not had contractual dealings with his prospective employer, had not had access to commercially sensitive information about competitors, and had not been involved in the development or administration of policy that could affect Tatweer Research or its competitors.

The Foreign Secretary accepted the Committee’s recommendation that, the six month moratorium for Ambassadors having expired, the application should be approved subject to the conditions that:

- Sir Dominic should not draw on privileged information available to him as a Crown servant; and

- for two years from his last day of service, Sir Dominic should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of his new employer or its clients.

The same month, Asquith took up another part-time, albeit unpaid appointment as Member of the Board of Advisers and Senior Fellow of the Institute of Statecraft

When considering this application, the Committee took into account that the appointment was unlikely to include contact or dealings with Sir Dominic’s former department/Government. They noted that Sir Dominic had met the Director of the Institute during study visits, but that he had not had contractual dealings with the Institute, had not had access to commercially sensitive information about competitors, and had not been involved in the development of any policy related to the Institute or its competitors.

The Foreign Secretary accepted the Committee’s advice that, the six month moratorium on Ambassadors having business dealings with the country of their last posting having already expired, the application be approved subject to the condition that:

- for two years from his last day of service, Sir Dominic should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of his new employer or its clients.

Affiliations

• Institute for Statecraft - Advisor 2015