Edward Hobart CMG Bio

Edward Hobart CMG

British Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates

Edward Hobart is His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. He took up his appointment in May 2023.

Prior to this appointment he was Director for Estates and Security at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (now Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) from October 2017.

Ed’s previous role was the FCO’s Migration Envoy, representing the UK Government internationally and working across the UK government to develop and delivery policy on migration.

He has served as Consul General to Dubai from 2012 to 2015, a role which included leading Trade and Investment work in the UAE, the UK’s fourth largest export market outside Europe, and the second largest UK Consular team. He spent a year in Abu Dhabi as Deputy Head of Mission.

Ed oversaw the major Future Firecrest IT change programme from 2007 to 2009, replacing of all the FCO’s IT and associated infrastructure on time and budget. He led a delivery and support team of around 400 people and managed a budget of £400 million. He was Acting Chief Information Officer in 2010, responsible for the FCO’s IT and Information Management.

Ed joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1993. He has served in Cuba and Malaysia and headed Libya Unit in 2011.

Retired from playing, he now enjoys coaching rugby. Along with his wife, he is a founder of the West London Free School, one of the first new ‘Free Schools’ in the UK.

British Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
The Ambassador represents His Majesty The King and the UK government in the country to which they are appointed. They are responsible for the direction and work of the embassy and its consulates, including political work, trade and investment, press and cultural relations, and visa and consular services.