A new Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset has been appointed by the Queen. Mohammed Saddiq, executive director of operations at Wessex Water, will take over from Annie Maw when she retires on October 29.
The businessman, whose parents came to England in the late 1960s from a small village in Pakistan, has had a 30-year career in the water, waste and renewables sectors, including holding a number of senior engineering and management positions.
He said being appointed to the role of Lord-Lieutenant was a "tremendous honour".
"I’ve always thought it is important to remember where you’ve come from," said Mr Saddiq. "[My parents] came here with virtually nothing but they had such a strong work ethic. 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.”
Mr Saddiq, 52, now lives in Midford near Bath with his wife Paula and five children. He said he is "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 said.
"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. I’m grateful too to my company for allowing me to accept this important public role, supporting the Royal Family in Somerset.”
In 2012, Mr Saddiq received the Institute of Directors South West Corporate Responsibility Director Award and in 2020 was given an honorary degree of Doctor of Science from the University of the West of England (UWE) for enhancing the sustainable development of Bristol.
He also set up a partnership with Wessex Water and the Prince’s Trust to help mentor young people, who found themselves in difficult circumstances, to secure employment and even establish their own businesses.
Alongside his business interests, Mr Saddiq is also 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 CIC; 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 in Bristol.
Ms Maw, who held the position for nearly eight years, added: “It’s been the greatest honour of my life to serve as Somerset’s Lord-Lieutenant. I know Mohammed thinks the same and I know he will do a tremendous job. 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.”
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