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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

New Divisional Directors at Commonwealth Secretariat

27 June 1996

The Commonwealth Secretariat has announced two new senior staff appointments at its London headquarters. The two new staff members, both divisional Directors, were formerly posted to diplomatic missions of their respective countries.

Jon P Sheppard, formerly Australia's Ambassador to Jordan, took up the post of Director of the Secretariat's Political Affairs Division on April 22. The Division is involved in consultations between member governments on political issues, and is responsible for the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. It also oversees the Commonwealth's work in promoting democracy and good governance.

Mr Sheppard has served in diplomatic postings in Thailand and South Africa, and as Ambassador to Ethiopia. He has worked in various areas of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, where he has been Director of the Central and Southern Africa, South Pacific, South Asia and Human Rights sections. He has also been attached to the Secretariat of the South Pacific Forum. Educated in Sydney and at the University of Queensland, Mr Sheppard holds a BA (Honours) in History.

Mohammad Abdul Malik, formerly Bangladesh's High Commissioner to Singapore, has been appointed Director and Head of the Secretariat's Economic and Legal Advisory Services Division (ELASD). He joined the Secretariat on 1 July. ELASD is the Secretariat's in-house consultancy which provides advice to the Commonwealth's 53 member governments on such topics as macroeconomic development, debt management, privatisation, natural resources development and negotiations with multinationals and international agencies.

Mr Malik studied at the universities of Dhaka and Karachi, at Williams College in the US and at the Civil Service Academy in Lahore. He holds Masters degrees in Economics and Development Economics, and has also received training in Law and Public Administration. He has held a number of senior posts in the Government of Bangladesh, including appointments as Permanent Secretary in the Ministries of Defence, Shipping and Water Resources. He has also served in the Ministries of Industries, Finance and Planning.

Issued by the Information and Public Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat,
Marlborough House,
Pall Mall,
London SW1Y 5HX,
United Kingdom.
Tel: 0207-839 3411;
Fax: 0207-839 9081;
Telex: 27678

96/29 27 June 1996
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ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7747 6385/6 Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 9081
Email: info@commonwealth.int