Nick Watson is a former senior British diplomat who served in a range of Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan and Egypt as well as Afghanistan. More recently, he spent nine years as a partner at Hakluyt, a network-based advisory business, including three years in Tokyo working with leading Japanese companies and three years running the firm’s Middle East business. Watson is currently a director of Othrys Ltd, a strategic risk management business, and is launching a startup that offers independent, impartial, expert advice on technology innovation and its protection. He also advises several other businesses and coaches senior executives. Watson is a graduate of the University of Oxford and, among other pro bono roles, sits on the Council of the University of Sussex, its governing body.