Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles KCMG LVO

Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles KCMG LVO

Group Head of Government Affairs, HSBC Holdings Plc

Chair Elect of China-Britain Business Council

Sherard has been at HSBC nearly six years, working as Senior Adviser to the Group Chairman and Group Chief Executive, and more recently heading the Group’s global government and public affairs functions.  He also chairs HSBC Oman, and is on the Board of HSBC Egypt. He has spent over 30 years in the British Diplomatic Service, which he joined straight from reading Classics at Oxford, finishing his career as Ambassador to Israel, Saudi Arabia and then Afghanistan.

Sherard is Chairman of the Financial Inclusion Commission; a Board Member (and Chairman-elect) of the China-Britain Business Council; and sits on the boards of the Saudi British Business Council, and Asia House.  He is Chair of Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery Trust. He is on the International Engagement Committee of the British Academy.  He is the author of two books – Cables from Kabul and Ever the Diplomat.