World news story

New British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India announced

Kumar Iyer also appointed Director General for UK Trade & Investment across India

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government
Kumar Iyer

Kumar Iyer is the new British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India. He has also been appointed Director General for UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) for all of India, a new top level post, which has been created to reflect the increasing importance of UK-India business ties. He will take up both positions based in Mumbai, on 5 August 2013.

As Deputy High Commissioner Western Region, Mr Iyer will have responsibility for all aspects of diplomatic engagement in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Goa. As Director General India of UKTI he will have overall responsibility for the UK-India commercial and trade relationship across India. He comes to India from London where he has been a high-ranking official at the British Treasury and the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit.

Kumar Iyer has an MPhil in Economics from Cambridge University where he was a Bank of England scholar and an undergraduate tutor in Microeconomics. He was also a Kennedy Scholar and Teaching Fellow in International Capital Markets at Harvard University.

Kumar Iyer was born in London to parents of Indian origin. He spent his formative childhood years in India, including time in Mumbai. He joined the British government in 2008 as Deputy Director, Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit. In 2010 he moved to the Treasury, first as Deputy Director, Strategy, Planning & Budget, and then as Head of Financial Sector Interventions. Prior to that he was at the Boston Consulting Group where he worked mainly in the Financial Services Practice but also for large multinational media and retail clients.

Looking forward to his posting, Mr Iyer said:

I am delighted to be appointed British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India and Director General for India of UKTI. Being an economist whose career has included management consulting in the private sector and working for the British Government both at Number 10 and the Treasury, it’s a great fit for the combined positions I will be holding. My aim is to take the India-UK business relationship across the whole country to the highest possible level. I am very excited at the prospect of living and working in India; it’s a country of boundless energy, talent and potential. Having lived and studied in India whilst growing up, I am equally keen to play my part in promoting the academic, cultural and social links between our two countries. My wife and I are looking forward to building new friendships, travelling across India, and giving our children some exposure to their Indian heritage. I developed my passion for cricket while growing up in India and hope my children will too!

Kumar is a keen cricketer and chess player. He is married to Kathryn, a barrister practising criminal law.

They have two children, a son and a daughter.

Further information:

  • UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is the UK government department that that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy.

  • For further information please contact Shireen Mistry on +91 98200 13629

Published 1 August 2013