The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) has announced the appointment of Sir John Jenkins as executive director of IISS-Middle East, based in Manama, as of January 27.

Sir John now serves as the UK ambassador to Saudi Arabia and has previously been UK ambassador to Iraq, Syria and Libya.

He has also served in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, as consul-general in Jerusalem and in a number of other posts including ambassador to Burma.

He holds a BA and a PhD from Cambridge University and brings to this position both first-class academic credentials and unrivalled practical understanding of the current geopolitical and geo-economic trends in the region.

"We are very pleased that Sir John is joining the IISS in Bahrain to lead our growing Middle East office," IISS director-general and chief executive Dr John Chipman said.

"Sir John's extensive diplomatic experience, deep knowledge of the region, ease with the Arabic language and powerful network of relationships throughout the Middle East and North Africa make him the ideal person to drive the growth of the IISS-Middle East office.

"The IISS-Middle East office will from the start of 2015 substantially boost its policy-relevant research work on Middle East security and economic issues. The IISS will be deepening its engagement with the governments of the region while working closely with the private sector. Throughout the year, the institute will work to dramatically strengthen the Manama Dialogue process and ensure that in 2015 it serves as a major lynchpin of regional defence diplomacy," Dr Chipman said.

"Sir John will be a great asset to the IISS as we make these large steps forward in our Middle East activities, connecting them closely to our work in other regions," he added.

Sir John said: "I am delighted to be joining IISS. It is a hugely impressive and dynamic organisation and gives me a chance not just to continue to live and work in the Arab world, about which I care deeply, but to help shape international responses to the urgent diplomatic, economic and national-security challenges that the region faces. How we deal with them will define our shared future.

"I want IISS in the Middle East to be the most authoritative source of real-world answers relevant to policymakers - drawing on a wide range of experience, knowledge, expertise and personal relationships as possible."-TradeArabia News Service