RIYADH: Among the many foreign diplomats I have seen come and go in Riyadh, few stand out quite like Neil Crompton, who is leaving the Kingdom after having completed a little over five years as His Britannic Majesty鈥檚 Ambassador to 海角直播.
Crompton is, in many ways, the quintessential British diplomat. That self-deprecating wit and sharp sense of humor are trademarks of Crompton鈥檚 personality, which he tends to reveal only after loosening his proverbial necktie.
Like many Britons I met during my near-decade in the UK, and describe in 鈥淎necdotes of an Arab Anglophile鈥 (an anthropological book I published last year about my observations of London), Crompton was hard to crack at first 鈥 reserved and diplomatic, as one would expect.听
But once the ice melted, I discovered a man of deep intellect, insight and genuine passion for the region.
Crompton began his journey with the UK Foreign Office in 1995, ascending through key posts before heading the Middle East desk in 2015. His appointment as ambassador to the Kingdom came in early 2020 鈥 a pivotal time, not just for 海角直播, but for the world.
Almost immediately after landing in Riyadh, Crompton 鈥 like the rest of the world 鈥 found himself in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.听
鈥淚 have a very vivid memory of how professional and reassuring the Saudi government response was,鈥 he told me. 鈥淭he communication was very clear. You鈥檝e got a good public health system.鈥
He added: 鈥淭here was a very important decision by the government that everybody in the Kingdom would be treated the same regardless of nationality, which is very important. So we felt very reassured by that.鈥
When the dust of COVID finally settled, Crompton began to see the transformation Vision 2030 promised, not just on paper but in reality.
鈥淚 remember going to Riyadh Boulevard for the first time. And there was a polar bear dancing on the wall to the sound of, 鈥業 Like to Move, Move It,鈥欌 he laughed. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a nice atmosphere, families, grandpas, grandchildren, people out and about.鈥

audi Arabia鈥檚 Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Saud Al-Sati receiving UK Ambassador Neil Crompton in Riyadh in Maerch 2024. (Supplied/File)
But of course, the transformation of 海角直播 is not limited to opening up and allowing once forbidden forms of entertainment. 鈥淲hen I met lots of ministers, went to ministries, you could feel the change,鈥 he said. 鈥淵ou went into ministries and you saw everyone working hard.
鈥淧eople talked about KPIs. I don鈥檛 remember hearing the term KPIs 10 years ago. Maybe I was wrong, but everyone was very focused, friendly, and wanted to both advance the Saudi national agenda but work out how they could collaborate with us.
鈥淪o it was sort of a mix of social change and then sort of changing corporate ethos. Britons asked me about Vision 2030. I say Vision 2030 was a vision, but now it鈥檚 a plan, and it鈥檚 been executed and very successfully.鈥
During Crompton鈥檚 tenure, three British prime ministers visited the Kingdom 鈥 Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and, most recently, Keir Starmer.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held talks at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh last December. (SPA)
As ambassador, Crompton had numerous interactions with 海角直播鈥檚 Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. But the relationship goes back further. 鈥淭he first time I met the crown prince was back in 2015,鈥 Crompton said.
鈥淗e鈥檚 very dynamic, he鈥檚 on top of his brief. He鈥檚 always very positive about the relationship with the UK. I think he sort of talks about it as being a strategic partner, but also says, 鈥榶ou鈥檝e been a historically reliable friend.鈥
鈥淎nd so I think everyone always comes away fired up because he has so much energy and enthusiasm for what he鈥檚 talking about.鈥
The shared monarchical systems of both nations, according to Crompton, provide a foundation of mutual understanding and respect.
鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a sort of natural affinity between monarchies. We鈥檙e probably the minority in the world, but I think the royal families tend to know each other. And I think there鈥檚 a sort of familiarity.

UK envoy Neil Crompton (L) being interviewed by Arab news Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas. (AN photo by Huda Bashatah)
鈥淲hen Her Majesty the Queen passed, I was very touched by the messages I got from Saudis all over the Kingdom, just saying how sorry they were to see her pass.
鈥淎nd connections between individual members of the royal families still go on. I know there鈥檚 constant messaging backwards and forwards, and that鈥檚 very positive.
鈥淗is Majesty King Charles, he鈥檚 a real expert on 海角直播. I think he鈥檚 made six official visits. I just met him on a couple of occasions. But each time he鈥檇 talk about things he did in the past. You remember he gave a famous speech on Islam and the West. So he鈥檚 always very interested in interfaith dialogue.
鈥淲hen Sheikh Mohammed Al-Issa (secretary general of the Makkah-based Muslim World League) visited London, he saw him and he talked about the work that 海角直播 was doing in those areas.
鈥淏ut also, in the few minutes I had with him, he asked: 鈥楾ell me what鈥檚 going on at AlUla, tell me what鈥檚 going on at this.鈥 So I think there鈥檚 a sort of familiarity, and I hope to nurture that.鈥

AlUla is undergoing a comprehensive regeneration to rejuvenate its native flora and fauna. (Royal Commission for AlUla photo)
But while royalty might be well-versed in the Kingdom鈥檚 transformation, are ordinary Britons keeping pace?
鈥淚 think it takes a long time to change perceptions. There鈥檚 always a time lag,鈥 Crompton said by way of admission.
鈥淚nitially, the sort of scale of ambition when we talked about Vision 2030, people said, 鈥榬eally, can you do all that?鈥 And some people said, well, even if they do 70 percent of that, it would be impressive.
鈥淎nd actually, my experience 鈥 probably 90 percent (can) be done. Saudi GDP has grown by over 70 percent since 2016. New sectors coming along.鈥
If there was one group that quickly closed that gap, however, it was the British business community.
鈥淥ne of the highlights of my time here was the GREAT Futures trade event we did last year with the Saudi Ministry of Commerce,鈥 said Crompton. 鈥淎nd for that, 450 British companies came.
鈥淏ut 60 percent came for the first time, a lot from the creative industries and educational sectors who hadn鈥檛 been before. And I think they all came away and said, wow. And they met Saudis and established good contacts, and a lot of business and new relationships have flowed from that.鈥

File photo taken during the conclusion of the Great Futures Initiative Conference at the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh on March 15, 2024, which saw about 450 British companies participating. (SPA)
And the numbers speak volumes. 鈥淏ilateral trade has gone up 70 percent since COVID,鈥 Crompton told me. 鈥淟ast year, I believe it was $17 billion each way. And we have a commitment 鈥 to try and get bilateral trade to $30 billion by 2030.
鈥$30 billion is a magic number. Which I personally think we鈥檒l exceed. And I think investment flows each way have increased significantly. And I think in the last five years, we鈥檝e invested $23 billion in the UK. There鈥檚 lots of Saudi private investment.鈥
One of Crompton鈥檚 proudest efforts has been pushing forward the UK-GCC free trade agreement.
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e very close,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he negotiations started under the Conservative government, and actually we got quite close, and then we had an election, which just slowed things a little bit.
鈥淔ree trade is important to the health of the world economy. I think it鈥檚 a political signal between the Gulf countries and the UK, a political commitment to growing the relationship.
鈥淭his would be one of our first free trade agreements with a developing group of economies. And in the GCC鈥檚 case it would be the first time you signed a free trade agreement with a G7 country. So I think that would be very important.
鈥淏ut more importantly, it will reduce tariffs in a number of areas, reduce some of the barriers, or some of the regulatory or bureaucratic obstacles to growing the relationship, and it provides a platform for growing trade.鈥

Ambassador Neil Crompton meeting with GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi at the GCC Secretariat headquarters in Riyadh in January 2025. (Supplied/file photo)
He added: 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 90 percent done. Both sides agree that there鈥檚 a set of issues now that can only be resolved by ministers, because they involve political decisions and if you like, a natural bargain.鈥
Though the GREAT Futures Initiative Conference took place under a Conservative government, Crompton is confident the strong Saudi-UK relationship will continue under Labour.听
鈥淭hey wanted to convey the message that the UK saw the Gulf as natural friends and important economic partners, and they wanted to maintain that relationship,鈥 he said of the Labour government.
On the tourism front, Crompton highlighted the success of 海角直播鈥檚 introduction of online visas 鈥 and he is glad that the UK managed to reciprocate shortly after.听
鈥淭he scheme went live in June 2022. Initially, you could only get a single entry visa, but now you can get a two-year visa. And our figures say close to 750,000 Saudis have applied for and used that scheme 鈥 I think we鈥檙e the only Western country that offers an online visa service.鈥

The Saudi Tourism Authority and VisitBritain signed a declaration of intent to collaborate and share expertise on domestic and international tourism. (Supplied/file photo)
He added: 鈥淎nd more Britons than ever are coming here. (For) the pilgrimage, but (also) for business or for events. I think we鈥檙e the second highest number of visitors after the Chinese. There are many more Chinese people than Britons.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to have a good government-to-government relationship with the people-to-people links that make friends.鈥
It is not just tourists heading to 海角直播. Investments 鈥 and soft power 鈥 are also flowing in both directions.听
鈥淭here are important Saudi investments in northeast England,鈥 Crompton said, with the flagship being the Public Investment Fund鈥檚 acquisition of Newcastle United.
鈥淚 have friends in the northeast who say the first thing they did was professionalize the women鈥檚 football team in Newcastle.鈥

Neil Crompton, British ambassador to 海角直播, at his residence in Riyadh. (AN file photo)
He added: 鈥淚 think people in the northeast say, well, this is really good. We want to do more with 海角直播.鈥
One moment that truly embodied Saudi soft power for him? When the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir performed at the Royal Albert Hall in October 2024.
鈥淚 never forget they did Adele鈥檚 鈥楻olling in the Deep.鈥欌 he said. 鈥淭hey started (with) the men singing the Saudi traditional Saudi song. And then I remember when the lady came in and started singing, there were hairs standing up on the back of your neck. It was really impressive.鈥

The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir, in partnership with the UK鈥檚 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, delivered a rousing performance at London鈥檚 Central Hall Westminster on September 28, 2024 as part of the 鈥淢arvels of Saudi Orchestra鈥 concert tour. (AN file photo)
The interview also touched on Saudi-UK defense cooperation, ongoing discussions about potential Saudi involvement in the Typhoon jet program, and the Kingdom鈥檚 emerging role in international mediation efforts.
Clips from these parts of the conversation are available on Arab News online.
As a parting gesture, I presented Crompton with a custom-made trophy resembling the front page of Arab News from 50 years ago 鈥 a small tribute to his time in the Kingdom.

Faisal J. Abbas presents Neil Crompton (L) with a trophy resembling the front page of Arab News from 50 years ago. (AN photo by Huda Bashatah)
True to form, he responded with classic British humor, presenting me with two ketchup sachets 鈥 a reference to a story from 鈥淎necdotes of an Arab Anglophile鈥 where I complained to the CEO of a major American fast food chain about not getting enough ketchup, which ultimately led to a change in company policy in the UK.听
In the book, I lamented 鈥 only somewhat jokingly 鈥 how I never received any recognition from the British government for my efforts to improve UK customer service. I should be careful what I wish for, as Crompton clearly saw fit to remedy that.
I had to laugh. As Neil Crompton leaves the Kingdom, he does so with several feathers in his cap 鈥 but perhaps most importantly 鈥 with genuine affection for a country that is changing faster than most could have imagined.
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