The Next Century Foundation

 Sir Harold ("Hooky") Walker is the son of the late Admiral Sir Harold Walker.  Sir Harold, born in 1932, was educated at Winchester College and Worcester College, Oxford.  From 1956 to 1992 he was a career diplomat, serving as British Ambassador to Bahrain (1979-81), the United Arab Emirates (1981-86), Ethiopia (1986-1989) and Iraq (1990-91).

Since retirement from the Diplomatic Service Hooky Walker has worked almost entirely in the voluntary sector. Among other things he has been a Commissioner of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, President of the emergency relief and development aid organisation CARE International, and Chairman of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs. From 2006 to 2010 he was President of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies.