Bengaluru: Jeremy Pilmore-Bedford assumes charge as British Deputy High Commissioner

Jeremy Pilmore-Bedford has taken charge in Bengaluru as the UK's new Deputy High Commissioner in Karnataka and Kerala.

Pilmore-Bedford earlier served as the Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai before moving to Bengaluru, which is now the UK's hub post for South India. He succeeds Dominic McAllister.

Previously, Pilmore-Bedford served in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) US network, where he was Consul General in the Southeast of the United States for four-and-a-half years. He was earlier Head of the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America department in London. He has served in south-east Asia twice as well as in Russia and Qatar.

As the Head of the Deputy High Commission in Bengaluru, Jeremy's role will include strengthening partnerships with the government, promoting business and trade and bolstering people-to-people relationships between Karnataka, Kerala and the UK.

"There is no better time to represent the UK in Bengaluru than now. Karnataka received more than 38% of total British investment last year and 35% of Indian-owned technology and telecom firms have invested in the UK. The existing collaboration provides a great opportunity to put Karnataka at the heart of technology partnership between UK and India," Jeremy was quoted as saying.

"My priority is to align UK interests with the ambition of Karnataka and Kerala by exploring the innovation ecosystem in both the states. The new post-study work visa enables promising talent from Bengaluru, which is the innovation hub and startup capital of India, to further nurture their talent by studying in the best higher education institutions in the world," he added.