Tariq Ahmad, Baron Ahmad of Wimbledon

Tariq Mahmood Ahmad, Baron Ahmad of Wimbledon, (born 3 April 1968), is a British businessman and a Conservative life peer. In government he most recently served as Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, Commonwealth and United Nations (20172024) at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Early years Born in Lambeth, to Punjabi-speaking immigrant parents from Pakistan. His father was born in Gurdaspur and his mother was born in Jodhpur in British India. Tariq Ahmad was educated at Rutlish School, Merton Park, southwest London. In 2004, he joined Sucden Financial, where he served on the Executive Committee and as Director of Marketing, Strategy and Research. From 2001 to 2006, he served as a governor of Wimbledon Park Primary school. In 2002, he was elected a Councillor in Wimbledon.

Parliamentary career On 13 January 2011, he was made a life peer, and was created Baron Ahmad of Wimbledon, of Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton. He formally joined the House of Lords on 17 January. In 2014, Ahmad was promoted to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at DCLG. After the 2015 general election, he was appointed jointly as Minister for Skills and Aviation Security at the Department for Transport and Minister for Countering Extremism at the Home Office. In 2016, he was appointed Minister for Aviation, International Trade and Europe at the Department for Transport in the first May ministry.

After the 2017 general election, Ahmad was appointed Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with responsibilities to the Commonwealth, the United Nations, and the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, and later South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.

In August 2026, Ahmad said that Britain had moved into the "slow lane" in Middle Eastern diplomacy, arguing that countries including Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey and Oman were playing a greater role in regional mediation and dialogue.

Honours In the 2024 King's Birthday Honours, he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) "for services to British foreign policy, humanitarian affairs and the Commonwealth, faith and integration, community and families in the UK.".

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