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HM Ambassador Edward Oakden describes how he plans to build trade relations between Britain and the UAE and what makes his job so great.
Entering the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi is a little like stepping into a small corner of England. Tea is served in china cups with a plate of biscuits and a British flag and framed photographs of the Queen of England, Elizabeth II decorate the walls.
Despite the tight security, it's all very low key - an atmosphere that belies the powerful influence HM Ambassador Edward Oakden has among the business community in the UAE.
A major part of his role is to develop trade and economic ties between the UAE and Britain and to encourage his country's business leaders to take advantage of the lucrative opportunities the region offers.
And he says that drumming the message home that now is the time for British business to act on these opportunities is one of the biggest challenges he faces.
"There is already an enormous British commercial presence here, but I think there is always more that can be done," he says.
"Without wanting to drop into clichés, the pace of globalisation and the pace of change in this region are literally phenomenal."
"And British companies need to work hard because their competitors are already working hard to keep up with that change, and to take maximum advantage of the opportunities it offers."
Oakden meets regularly with the rulers of both countries and is involved in high-profile negotiations between British and Emirati business leaders over deals that could shape the future of the UAE.
One of the areas where he sees the highest potential for British companies is in the energy sector - both renewable and nuclear.
He says he has been building links between British interests and Abu Dhabi's Masdar Initiative - relationships that, if successful, could lead to multi-million dollar deals being signed.
"I continue to go back to the UK to explain to British companies what the opportunities are," he says.
"Recently His Royal Highness the Duke of York organised a very high-profile seminar in Buckingham Palace, which brought together well over 100 leading British energy companies with the Masdar team so that they could join up Madar's wish to invest in British technology in the renewable energy area with the desire of those British companies to find the right sort of opportunities for investment.
"In fact, since that event just two weeks ago there have been a number of very promising partnerships that have started to be developed."
On the civil nuclear energy side, he says that he is keen to build business partnerships between British companies and the Abu Dhabi government to discuss opportunities to develop technology that will address the country's looming energy shortages.
He sees particularly strong potential in this area for Rolls Royce.
"We've been glad to support very fervently the aspirations of the Abu Dhabi leadership, and indeed the federal government, to develop a civil nuclear industry to be fully in conformity with international requirements, and that will also serve to meet the urgent energy gap that the country will be facing over the next 10 years," he says.
"We firmly believe, for example, that the UK has got an extremely strong offer to make. For instance, Rolls Royce provides the instrumentation panels for all the civil reactors in France.
"A new division has been set up within Rolls Royce specifically to take forward the opportunities in the civil nuclear industry that are likely to emerge worldwide in the next 20 or 30 years."
Oakden says the only way potential British investors can understand the scale of change and opportunity in the UAE is to visit the country firsthand - and he frequently hosts high-profile visitors to the region, including politicians, business leaders and members of the royal family.
This, he says, is one of the most enjoyable - and most stressful - parts of his job.
"Very often when one has senior visitors to Abu Dhabi or Dubai, they are only here for a couple of hours and one has to make sure that they meet the right people to make the best use of their time. You can only waste a senior person's time once, and if you waste it once, you won't see them again," says Oakden.
"Over the last two years, we've had more than 60 very senior visitors to the UAE, ranging from former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair at the end of 2006 to HRH the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York many times."
The aim of the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is to promote internationally the interests of the United Kingdom. This, and the FCO's more detailed objectives, are achieved through the work of policy makers in the FCO in London and the work of diplomatic missions overseas.
These missions are known as embassies, except in Commonwealth countries where they are called high commissions. Britain also has delegations accredited to the EU, the UN and other international organisations.
The FCO has some 5,800 UK-based staff, but around 2,400 of these are serving in 221 UK posts overseas. Staff must be prepared to work anywhere in the world, from Abu Dhabi to Zagreb. UK-based staffs are supported in overseas missions by locally engaged staff, who provide essential continuity and knowledge of their countries. The Ambassador is appointed by the Queen to represent Britain in the host country.
The work of Britain's diplomats is wide and various. Political and commercial work forms the basis of most Embassy activity. This involves negotiating, lobbying, analysing and reporting on local developments, while building up links with people and organisations of influence. The aim is to promote understanding of Britain and to foster relations with the host country, and thus advance British interests.
These activities are backed up by a press and public affairs team, and by management staff. Missions also provide consular assistance and passport services to British nationals, and issue entry clearance visas for entering the UK.
The British embassies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai represent Her Majesty's Government in the United Arab Emirates. The embassy in Abu Dhabi is the focus for bilateral relations between Britain and the Federal Government. The embassy in Dubai supports the bilateral relationship, but with a strong focus on developing trade and economic ties between Britain and Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
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