Richard Montgomery CMG
Biography
Richard is British High Commissioner to Nigeria and the UK Permanent Representative to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) based in Abuja, from May 2023.
Richard was the UK Executive Director at the World Bank Group Boards from 2018 to 2022. His role included ensuring that the improvements agreed by shareholders in 2018 were implemented. Richard worked on the global COVID response, the UK’s G7 and COP26 presidencies, and the World Bank Group’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its global impact.
He was previously a Director at the Department for International Development (DFID), overseeing Asia, Caribbean and Overseas Territories Division. This included country programmes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar, and 10 other overseas offices and UK-based departments.
Before that, Richard served as Head of Office in Pakistan (2013 to 2015) and Nigeria (2009 to 2013), and Head of Corporate Human Resources (2006 to 2009). He has also worked in DFID’s top management group and DFID offices in Zambia, Bangladesh and India.
Before joining DFID Richard worked in a German engineering company, as a lecturer in development studies in Swansea University, and as a consultant for development projects across Asia. He studied anthropology, and has a PhD from Cambridge University on economic and social change in north India.
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British High Commissioner to Nigeria
The High Commissioner is the UK government’s representative in a Commonwealth nation. They are responsible for the direction and work of the High Commission and its Deputy High Commissions and/or Consulates, including political work, trade and investment, press and cultural relations, and visa and consular services.
Previous roles in government
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Head of DFID Pakistan