Shahid Omer

After an initial career in magazine publishing and media, Shahid Omer joined the civil service through the Civil Service Fast Stream and went on to have roles in Private Office, business finance (helping establish the British Business Bank), Industrial Strategy and as Senior Policy Adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg during the Coalition Government.
Institution
Universities UK
Job Title
Director of Policy

Subsequently, while at Department of Education, he led on Widening Participation policy in higher education, and International Higher Education (being responsible for the International Education Strategy; International Students; and Erasmus and Turing amongst other responsibilities). Most recently, he developed the Government’s Innovation Strategy while at Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and helped establish the Dept for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) as the Transition Director following the recent Machinery of Government change. He joined Universities UK on secondment from DSIT in June 2023.