Former British ambassador to UAE joins Dubai company

Specialising in due diligence enquiries, regional security matters and political risk analysis, he is a valuable acquisition for Links Corporate Solutions, which has established itself as the first "one-stop shop" for companies and individuals seeking to set up business in Dubai.

"I'm delighted to have joined this dynamic young company, and trust that my experience will assist in its future growth and success," said Harris.

His career in the British Diplomatic Service, which followed Arabic training in Lebanon, was spent mainly in the Middle East.

He served in Saudi Arabia (Jeddah and Riyadh); in Khartoum and Cairo, where he was charge d'Affaires during the First Gulf War; Geneva, where he was a delegate to the United Nations, and in Abu Dhabi, where he served twice; as head of chancery from 1975-79, and as HM ambassador from 1994-98.

He was also seconded to the Ministry of Defence, where he was Regional Marketing director for defence sales to the Middle East, and to the Cabinet Office, where he worked on technical security for overseas missions.

He took early retirement to join Robert Fleming International, where he was director in the Middle East Corporate Finance Division. When Flemings was bought by Chase, he set up his own consultancy business, based in Dubai, and has worked in financial services, project finance and market research. He lectures, broadcasts and writes on Gulf-related issues.

Launched last year to provide a comprehensive package of corporate services for organisations in the Gulf region, Links acts as sponsor or agent for new businesses being established in Dubai.

The company has also developed regional commercial partnerships with a number of service-driven organisations to provide its clients with a range of corporate services. These include employee benefits such as end of service indemnity funding, corporate training, and generic corporate services such as legal, accounting, advertising and public relations.