Gemma Stevenson has been appointed as HMTC for the Middle East and Pakistan and His Majesty’s Consul General to Dubai and the Northern Emirates
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade is delighted to announce that Gemma Stevenson has been appointed His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for the Middle East and Pakistan, and His Majesty’s Consul General to Dubai and the Northern Emirates, and will take up the role in September 2026.
Prior to this role, Gemma was Director in the Department for Business and Trade covering the UK’s Strategy for Small and Medium Enterprises. She previously held senior civil service roles focusing on the UK’s commercial relationship with the Indo-Pacific, and economic and investment security.
Before joining the civil service, Gemma spent a decade in South Asia where she was an adviser to the Indian and Afghan governments on trade and commerce issues, and Director to the Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan. She has acted as a consultant for private sector clients in the UK from the professional services, transport and consumer goods sectors.
Gemma holds a degree in Modern History and Modern Languages from the University of Oxford and a Masters in Economic Public Policy from Princeton University.
Gemma takes up the role at an exciting time, with the UK having successfully concluded a milestone free trade agreement (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), comprising the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This is a major win for the UK and the Gulf and is the latest step in our mission to grow the economy through high-quality trade deals that deliver real benefits for people across the UK.
Gemma Stevenson said:
Our work on trade and investment is more than the exchange of goods and services and capital flows. It is about shared ambition, trust and relationships that deliver innovation and growth. I look forward to working with government and private sector partners across the Middle East and Pakistan to realise these opportunities.
Gemma replaces Sarah Mooney, who has covered the role on an interim basis since early 2025.
Sarah Mooney commented:
It has been a privilege to lead DBT in the Middle East and Pakistan in support of the government’s growth mission. Across every market, I have seen for myself the opportunities for UK business, as well as a genuine appetite from countries in the region to deepen their partnership with the UK towards shared economic growth.
Role of the HM Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Middle East and Pakistan
The HM Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for the Middle East and Pakistan cooperates closely with the wider diplomatic network and other colleagues to coordinate the government effort overseas to promote UK trade and prosperity.
The HMTC has full responsibility for all Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) work in the Middle East and Pakistan including:
- growing the overall trade and investment relationship
- improving market access for British companies, including small and medium sized businesses (SMEs)
- developing trade policy
The HMTC works closely with UK-based government colleagues, UK ambassadors and the wider diplomatic network in the region to deliver these goals.