Rob Macaire Keynote Speaker

Rob Macaire CMG is a British diplomat and geopolitical adviser whose career spans the Ministry of Defence and the Diplomatic Service, including ambassadorial leadership in Tehran and Nairobi. He has also advised two FTSE top-10 companies—BG Group and Rio Tinto—on political risk, strategy and international affairs. His briefings translate complex geopolitics into clear, actionable insight for boards and global teams.

Much of Rob’s work has centred on the Middle East, from contributing to the Oslo Process in the 1990s to leading UK diplomacy in Iran (2018–2021). In Tehran he negotiated for the release of UK detainees and led the UK role in multilateral nuclear talks with Iran; he was also briefly, illegally, arrested by the IRGC. Farsi-trained and steeped in the region’s dynamics, he offers rare, ground-level perspective on risk, escalation and engagement.

As High Commissioner in Kenya (2008–2011), Rob helped stabilize the country after the 2007 post-election violence and became deeply involved in development, transitional justice and governance—working with Kenyans to fight corruption. Earlier, he ran the Foreign Office’s global consular services, directing crisis response for UK nationals worldwide, and worked intensively on counter-terrorism—serving at the Washington Embassy through 9/11 and later leading the FCO’s counter-terrorism department—with additional postings in New Delhi and Bucharest.

In the private sector, Rob has managed political risk across diverse jurisdictions and built long-term geopolitical scenarios for the natural resources sector. He serves on the Council of Chatham House (elected 2024), sits on the advisory committee of the Atlantic Council’s Iran Strategy Project, and continues to brief audiences at leading forums—including a July 29, 2025 Asia House roundtable on Iran’s regional dynamics. A trustee/director of The Thunderbird Project, he supports life-saving drone use by emergency services.