Thomas Reilly

Background

About Thomas Reilly

Last year, after three and a half fulfilling and enjoyable years with Covington, I set up my own geopolitical consultancy (T Reilly Geopolitical Ltd - helping clients address some of their most intractable international relations problems. The current geopolitical instability makes the international public policy space almost uniquely complex. I am really excited at the prospect of helping companies understand and navigate these choppy waters. Doing so helps them identify geopolitical risks at an early stage and take the necessary steps to mitigate them. Before working at Covington, I was British Ambassador to Morocco (and non-resident Ambassador to Mauritania) between April 2017 and August 2020. It was a fabulous experience - there is so much potential in Morocco. As Ambassador I revitalised the UK-Morocco bilateral relationship, growing the Embassy by over 1/3 in three years. I led the creation of a high-level strategic dialogue, negotiated a UK-Morocco Education Treaty, an Extradition Treaty, A Mutual Légal Assistance Treaty and negotiated the UK-Morocco Bilateral Trade Agreement replacing Morocco’s EU Association Agreement. In Mauritania I helped UK companies enter the market and built up the educational agreements between the two countries. Prior to Morocco/Mauritania, I worked for 5 years in Shell,(where I led a team of public relations experts, managing corporate communications, projects & relations with British Government, managing programme & personnel management, networking & providing the Board with political advice). Special Advisor on International Relations & Regulatory Affairs (working on Shell/BG deal, Leading Shell’s Energy Transition work and advising on projects in Russia) 2015-2017. Head of Shell UK Ltd Government Relations 2012-2015 Deputy Ambassador, British Embassy, Cairo 2010-2012.(Diplomacy, international relations, digital media, financial & personnel management) Deputy Head of Climate Change & Energy Department, FCO, London 2008-2010 Deputy Head, Counter Terrorism Department, FCO, London 2006-2008 FCO Desk Officer 1998-2006 Corporate Lawyer, London & Brussels 1995-1998