New Lord-Lieutenant For Somerset
Somerset’s current Lord-Lieutenant Annie Maw CVO, will retire in October having held the position for nearly 8 years. An ancient office that can trace its roots to the Normans, the Lord-Lieutenancy is an unpaid role. The Lord-Lieutenant acts as Her Majesty the Queen’s representative in the county.
Today Annie Maw’s replacement has been announced as Mohammed Saddiq DL. Mr Saddiq is Executive Director of Operations at Wessex Water and lives in Bath. He says he is “greatly looking forward giving something back to the country which has given me so much.”
Mr Saddiq’s parents came to England in the late 60s from a small village in Pakistan, setting up a new home in Leeds. He notes “They came here with virtually nothing but they had such a strong work ethic. I was born in Leeds and my parents were always encouraging me to do well at school, to help create a good life for myself. I became the first member of our family to go to university.” That was to lead to a long and successful business career in the water, waste and renewables sectors. He has held a number of senior engineering and management positions in those sectors over the past 30 years.
In 2012 he received the Institute of Directors South West Corporate Responsibility Director Award. That was followed in 2020 with an honorary degree of Doctor of Science from the University of the West of England. Mr Saddiq set up a partnership with Wessex Water and The Prince’s Trust to help mentor young people. Particularly those who found themselves in difficult circumstances. The partnership helps to secure them employment and even establish their own businesses.
Mr Saddiq says he is particularly keen to use his new position to engage with the business community and voluntary sector in Somerset and support them in any way he can. “Given where the economy is right now, anything the Lieutenancy can do to just ‘move the needle’ has to be a good thing.”
He has a hard act to follow. Somerset’s current Lord-Lieutenant Annie Maw CVO, said today: “It’s been the greatest honour of my life to serve as Somerset’s Lord-Lieutenant. I know Mohammed thinks the same and I know he will do a tremendous job. I couldn’t be more delighted by his appointment. With his business background he will bring a new skillset to the role, which will be invaluable.” Annie Maw led the county through the pandemic and on a happier note, through the jubilee celebrations. During the past year she has travelled the length and breadth of Somerset on a Jubilee Jaunt accompanied by students taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. She took a particular interest in young people during her Lord-Lieutenancy, especially charities supporting those with disabilities.
Uhhm cares about Somerset and enviroment , Mohammed Saddiq DL.Executive Director of Operations @ Wessex Water which is owned by YTL Corperation a Malaysian global infrastructure conglomerate , Wessex Water were party to the destruction of the ancient hedgerow and trees with TPOs on land oppisit the SSDC offices on Brympton Way Yeovil to facilitate building development on prime agricultural land in a time of food insecurity , discharge of untreated sewage into waterways 14000 times twixt 1st of January 2021 – 31st August 2021 equal to 107,731 hours of discharge , ecoli at 20 x above WHO safe levels recorded , it seems not illegal due to a legal loop hole which dose not make it right .