UK Appoints New Country Director To Lead UK-Nigeria Trade, Investment Relations

Mr. Mark Smithson has been appointed as the Country Director for the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT) in Nigeria. He succeeds Chim Chalemera, who recently completed a three-year term in that position.

Smithson is an experienced civil servant who has held a variety of positions in the UK and abroad. In this new position, he will oversee trade and investment relations between the United Kingdom and Nigeria, with the goal of increasing high-value inward investment and exports into both countries, as well as supporting market access and trade policy priorities.

To commemorate his arrival in Nigeria, Smithson stated: “Nigeria is a country of enormous importance to the UK and the world. Our historical, cultural, interpersonal, and business ties are strong and growing.

“I am delighted to take on this new role as DBT’s country director, and I look forward to forging partnerships with the Nigerian government, the private sector, and the UK supply chain, as well as seizing the opportunities that this great country and our unique partnership provide to deliver a more prosperous future for both of our countries.”

Prior to his arrival in Nigeria, Smithson was based in London (2021-2024), where he led the DBT’s Capital Investment agenda, initially covering European and US large corporates, and since September 2022 as His Majesty’s Government’s global account manager for large institutional investors from Southeast Asia, with a focus on Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.

From 2007 to 2013, Smithson was the head of the Consular Section at the British Consulate General in Barcelona, Spain. During his time in Spain, Mark dealt with numerous high-profile consular cases and sporting events.

In 2013, he moved to the United States to lead Consular services for Florida, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico from the British Consulate General in Miami, where he oversaw an extensive outreach programme with US government agencies and dealt with several crises, including deployments as the Rapid Deployment Team leader.

He moved to Atlanta, Georgia, in 2017 to lead the UK’s Tech & Creative Trade and Investment agenda in the southeast of the United States, before relocating to Bangkok in 2018 to lead the team in Thailand to drive forward an increase in exports and investment and lay the groundwork for the UK-Thailand Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO).

Smithson and his Thai wife Patima have a three-year-old daughter.