Mohammed Saddiq, executive director of operations at Bath-based Wessex Water, is to be the next Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset.
He will take over from Annie Maw CVO when she retires at the end of October and says he is “greatly looking forward giving something back to the country which has given me so much”.
Mr Saddiq’s parents came to England in the late 1960s from a small village in Pakistan, setting up home in Leeds.
“They came here with virtually nothing but they had such a strong work ethic,” Mr Saddiq, pictured, said.
“I was born in Leeds and my parents were always encouraging me to do well at school, to help create a good life for myself. I became the first member of our family to go to university.”
That was to lead to a long and successful career in the water, waste and renewables sectors.
He has held a number of senior engineering and management positions in those sectors over the past 30 years.
Sustainability and care for the environment have always been his passions. In 2012 he received the Institute of Directors South West Corporate Responsibility Director Award and two years ago he was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Science from the University of the West of England for enhancing the sustainable development of Bristol.
He also set up a partnership between Wessex Water and The Prince's Trust to help mentor young people who found themselves in difficult circumstances to find work or to start their own businesses.
Outside of his work at Wessex Water he is deputy chair of the Board of Trustees at Bristol University, chair of the Bristol Future Talent Project, which works with local businesses to provide work experience and mentoring support to students from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds, independent chair of the Bristol Green Capital Partnership and trustee of the cancer care charity Penny Brohn UK.
He is also a member of the Society of Merchant Venturers and vice chair of governors at Montpellier High School.
He described being selected as the next Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset as a tremendous honour.
“I’ve always thought it is important to remember where you’ve come from. I’m in a privileged position now and it’s important for me to give something back to the community and the country which has given me so much,” he said.
“I’m grateful too to my company for allowing me to accept this important public role, supporting the royal family in Somerset.”
He said he was particularly keen to use his new position to engage with the business community and voluntary sector in Somerset and support them in any way he can.
“Given where the economy is right now, anything the Lieutenancy can do to just ‘move the needle’ has to be a good thing,” he added.
Annie Maw, who has been Somerset’s Lord-Lieutenant for nearly eight years, said serving in the role had been the greatest honour of her life.
“I know Mohammed thinks the same and I know he will do a tremendous job,” she added.
“I couldn’t be more delighted by his appointment. With his business background he will bring a new skillset to the role, which will be invaluable.”
Mr Saddiq, who is 52, lives in Midford near Bath with his wife Paula and five children.
