Stephen Hitchen
Biography
Mr Stephen Charles Hitchen is His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Prior to this appointment, Stephen was Ambassador to The Republic of Iraq from July 2023 to February 2025. Before July 2023 he performed a number of Director roles in London, with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa and counter terrorism.
From 2013 to 2016, he was the head of the Regional Affairs team in Amman, coordinating aspects of the UK’s counter-Da’esh campaign. In this role, he regularly visited Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories.
Stephen started his career with the Ministry of Defence in 1996 after completing a PhD at Leeds University about the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. He learned Arabic in Cairo from 2000 to 2001. After transfer to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (now Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office), he completed diplomatic service in Cairo, Kuwait and London.
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British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
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.
Previous roles in government
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British Ambassador to Iraq