The Middle East is a diverse and complex region that has been undergoing a state of persistent change and upheaval since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War.
Join Lieutenant General Sir Simon Mayall as he explores how the history, religions and politics of the Middle East shape people’s actions and attitudes. Drawing on his academic expertise, his family’s experiences ‘East of Suez’, and his own extensive personal involvement serving in numerous countries across the region, Lieutenant General Sir Mayall will offer a fascinating insight into this captivating, fractured and multifaceted area of the world.
About the speaker
Sir Simon Mayall recently retired from a long and distinguished Army career in which he served in a variety of senior military and political advisory roles focused on the Middle East. He began his career with the British Army in 1978 and held a series of increasingly senior roles until his retirement in July 2015.
He was educated at Oxford University (Modern History) and has a master’s degree in International Relations and Affairs from King’s College London. He is a member of the National Army Museum Council. His book, Soldier in the Sand: A Personal History of the Modern Middle East, was published in 2020.