Simon Gass

Sir Simon Lawrance Gass is a British civil servant. He chaired the Joint Intelligence Committee from 2019 to 2023 and served as the British Prime Minister's representative on Afghanistan from 2021 to 2022 concurrently. Between 2018 and 2019, he was the Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies. During his diplomatic career, he served as British ambassador to Greece and to Iran. In May 2023, it was announced he was stepping down as Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee and succeeded by Madeleine Alessandri.

Career

1977 – Joined the FCO
1979–83 – Lagos
1984–87 – Athens
1987–90 – FCO in London
1990–92 – Assistant Private Secretary to Foreign Secretary, London
1992–95 – Rome
1995–98 – Counsellor, FCO
1998–01 – Deputy High Commissioner South Africa
2001–04 – Director, Resources, then Finance, FCO
2004–09 – Ambassador to Greece
2009–11 – Ambassador to Iran
2011–12 – NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan
2013–16 – Political Director, FCO, and Prime Minister's Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan
2017–present – Chair of the FCDO Services Board
2018–2019 – Commandant Royal College of Defence Studies
2021–2022 – Prime Minister’s Special Representative for the Afghan Transition
2019–2023 – Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee
Ambassador to Iran

He was British Ambassador to Iran 2009–11. He arrived in post during the spring of 2009 from his previous posting in Greece and was present during the June 2009 protests following the disputed re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad.
Following these events Gass posted his views from Tehran on the social networking site Twitter, commenting on the Iranian regime's record on human rights, political prisoners and freedom of speech. His 'tweets' are shared widely by Iranian reformists and diaspora across the web as well as being featured in mainstream media. In January 2011, Gass passed the 1000 follower mark, making him one of the most followed diplomats on Twitter.
In December 2010, Gass's digital activities caused mild uproar among Iranian politicians, who called for his expulsion after he highlighted the case of human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh in an article posted on the British Embassy in Iran website. The statement was released on International Human Rights Day and criticised Iran's human rights record. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office defended Gass's comments, which gained widespread approval from his Iranian reformist followers on Twitter.

NATO and FCO

In February 2011 Gass was seconded to NATO as Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan. After serving in this post for 18 months he returned to the FCO in London as Director General, Political, and the Prime Minister's Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. He retired from the FCO in 2016.

FCDO Services

In 2017, Gass was appointed Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Board of FCDO Services.

Honours

Gass was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1998 Birthday Honours, Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 2011 New Year Honours, and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to national security and British foreign policy.