440. Are You Speaking Truth to Power, or Just Your Opinion?

Sir Simon Gass is a Senior Adviser to SC Strategy, a London-based geopolitical strategy company. Simon had a long career as a British diplomat and national security expert. While in the British Foreign Office, his appointments included Ambassador to Greece (2004-2009), Ambassador to Iran (2009-2011) and NATO’s Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan (2011-12). As the Foreign Office’s Political Director (2013-2016) Simon led policy on the Middle East, Russia, Africa, South and Central Asia, the United Nations and other international institutions. During this period, he led the UK team at the prolonged E3+3 negotiations which resulted in the Iran Nuclear Agreement – the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – in July 2015. After leaving the Foreign Office, Simon became Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies in 2018. From 2019 to 2023 Simon was appointed Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee and Adviser on Intelligence to successive British Prime Ministers. He was responsible for providing the Prime Minister and National Security Council with strategic assessments on the full range of national security issues. Simon is also a Visiting Professor at King’s College London and a Distinguished Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. He is a frequent media commentator on international affairs.