Oliver Christian
Biography
Oliver Christian is His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for North America and His Majesty’s Consul General to New York as of March 2025.
Prior to this role, Oliver Christian was His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for the Middle East and Pakistan, and His Majesty’s Consul General to Dubai since September 2023.
Oliver was previously Head of the Prime Minister’s Business Unit in Downing Street, serving four Prime Ministers from 2019 to 2023. Oliver was responsible for maintaining a trusted link between the Prime Minister, Whitehall and the boardrooms of UK and international businesses and investors. He oversaw over £78 billion of investment and export deals, establishing the UK Global Investment Summit and the creation of the Office of Investment during his tenure.
Prior to that he helped establish the Department for International Trade (now the Department for Business and Trade), as the Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State and President of the Board of Trade in 2016. Oliver has 13 years’ experience in Government having worked in trade, investment, business, regulation and security across several Departments and represented the UK in its missions overseas.
Oliver has a degree from Keele University in International Relations and Philosophy and studied abroad at the University of Toronto.
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British Consul General to New York
The Consul General is the senior UK official in a Consulate General, which is a subordinate office to the Embassy or High Commission, usually located in another major city. The Consul General represents the UK government and is typically responsible for consular, visa and trade activities in their city or region.
The Consul General leads the government’s work promoting UK economic, commercial, political and consular interests in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Fairfield County, Connecticut.
HM Trade Commissioner for North America
The HM Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for North America oversees all Department for Business and Trade (DBT) work in North America including:
- growing the overall bilateral trade and investment relationship
- improving market access for British companies, including small and medium sized businesses (SMEs)
- developing finance and trade policy
The HMTC also works closely with the wider diplomatic network and UK based colleagues to coordinate HMG activity on our wider prosperity agenda.
Previous roles in government
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HM Trade Commissioner for the Middle East and Pakistan
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British Consul General to Dubai