Wilks was born at
Callow End, Worcestershire, and educated at
The Chase School, Malvern, and
Durham University where he graduated in 1989 with a
BSc degree in
natural sciences. He was also President of the Durham Union. After graduation he joined the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). After Arabic language training in London and Cairo 1991–1993 he was posted to Khartoum 1993–1996 and Riyadh 1996–1999. He then returned to Durham University for a
MA in Middle East Politics (2000), then went to
St Antony's College, Oxford for a
MPhil in International Relations (2002). After six months'
secondment at the
Cabinet Office, he was deputy head of the team that reopened the British mission in Baghdad after the
Iraq War, from April to November 2003. He was deputy head of the Iraq policy unit at the FCO 2004–2005 and of the security policy group 2005–2007. In 2007 he was appointed the British government's first regional Arabic spokesman, based in Dubai. He was deputy
head of mission in Baghdad 2009–2010, then Ambassador to
Yemen 2010–2011. In 2012 he did the Higher Command and Staff Course at the
Military Staff College, Shrivenham, then was UK Special Representative to the Syrian Opposition 2012–2013, UK Special Representative for Syria 2013–2014 and Ambassador to
Oman 2014–2017. Wilks was appointed
CMG in the
2012 Birthday Honours. He retired from the diplomatic service in 2023 after his role as the British ambassador to Qatar. He was succeeded by Neerav Patel. ==References==