Paul Smith

Director of the British Council in Indonesia
British Council
UK

Paul Smith has been Director of the British Council in Indonesia since July 2016. Born in 1956, he was educated at King Edward’s School Birmingham and Queens’ College Cambridge. From 1978 to 1980 he lectured in Literature at St Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, and then pursued doctoral studies in Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University also working as an academic supervisor for Cambridge BA honours students. He joined the British Council in 1983 and has been posted to Kano and Lagos (Nigeria), Burma, Chile, Germany and Bangladesh and then as Director of the British Council in New Zealand and in West India (Mumbai). From 2005-2010 he was Director of the British Council in Egypt and from 2010 – 2012 Director of the British Council in Afghanistan and Cultural Counsellor at the British Embassy in Kabul. From 2012 – 2016 he was Director of the British Council in the USA and Cultural Counsellor to the British Embassy in Washington DC. In the UK he has held the posts of Deputy Director Drama and Dance (1987-1989) and Director Arts (1999-2000). He was awarded the OBE in 1999.

View 2022 Contributors

Latest Tweets

Joining as a Trustee is Mona Siddiqui, Professor of Islamic and Interreligious Studies and Assistant Principal for Religion and Society at the University of Edinburgh. She is known internationally as a public intellectual and is a regular commentator in the media.

Dan Mulhall will be joining the board as a Trustee. Dan is a retired Irish diplomat, academic and published author. He is the current Parnell Fellow at Magdalene College, University of Cambridge and is a consultant with the global law firm DLA Piper.

Also joining as a Trustee is Professor Gayle McPherson, Professor of Events and Cultural Policy and Director of the Centre for Culture, Sport and Events at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS). She is also a member of the European Cultural Parliament.

Joining us as a Trustee is Stephen Gethins, Professor of International Affairs at the University of St Andrews. Prior to that, Stephen was MP for North East Fife, the SNP International affairs spokesperson and was twice selected to sit on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

Joining in the role of Chair is Shonaig Macpherson CBE, an experienced Chair and non-executive director used to working at the most senior levels of government, private, public and third sectors.

If you're interested in attending Edinburgh International Culture Summit 2022 as media, interviews with contributors and ministers, or photo opportunities, please contact Susie Gray at susie@thecornershoppr.com or 07834 073795.

Sign-up to our newsletter for all the latest news and information.