The British Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephen Forbes as the new Country Director for its Bangladesh operation. Stephen, who brings over 20 years of experience with the British Council, will spearhead initiatives focused on education, arts, and the English language.

Stephen's extensive background includes previous roles as Country Director in Sudan, Kuwait, and Botswana, as well as Regional Programmes Director in East Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Stephen has also served as the European Co-Director on a legal reform programme in China, funded by the European Union.

He holds an MSc in Business Administration from London Business School and an MA (Hons.) in Mandarin Chinese from Edinburgh University. 

Stephen commented, "I am so pleased to be taking up the role of Director Bangladesh for the British Council. Exciting opportunities are opening up for people in the country, especially the youth. My goal is to build on the strong links already established between the people of Bangladesh and the UK, and the dynamic operation we have here, to make the most of those opportunities. Our suite of projects and products – in the arts, education and English – will serve that aim. I look forward to working closely with our friends and partners as well as our committed and professional British Council team, to strengthen ties between Bangladesh and the UK. I hope that together we can further improve opportunities for people, deepen our peaceful exchange, and drive impact that will make a lasting difference."

Stephen will lead an operation that opened in Bangladesh 73 years ago with the aim to transform lives and foster enduring partnerships between the UK and Bangladesh.