Amjad Hussain

Rear Admiral Amjad Mazhar Hussain, CB (born 15 May 1958) is a senior retired Royal Navy officer. He was the highest-ranking member of the British Armed Forces from an ethnic minority.

For other people with similar names, see Amjad Hossain (disambiguation).

Amjad Hussain
Born (1958-05-15) 15 May 1958
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1976–2012
RankRear Admiral
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath

Background and personal life

Born in Pakistan, Hussain and his mother moved to the United Kingdom in 1962 when he was three years old, to join his father who was working as a railway signalman.[1]

In 1983 Amjad married Wendy Downer; they have three children: Sam, Zara and Hannah.[1]

Career

Hussain joined the Royal Navy as a Weapons Engineering Officer in 1976, and was sponsored to study engineering science and business administration at Collingwood College, University of Durham, from 1976 to 1979.[1][2] He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 September 1981 (seniority from 1 April).[3] He was promoted to commander on 31 December 1992, and to captain on 31 December 1997.[4][5]

Hussain served as Naval Base Commodore, Portsmouth, from mid-2002, where his accommodation was in Spithead House.[1][6] In 2006 he was appointed Director General Logistics (Fleet) and promoted to the rank of rear admiral,[6][7] and thereby became the highest ranking Muslim and the highest-ranking officer from an ethnic minority in the British Armed Forces.[1][8] He was appointed Director-General Weapons in 2008,[9] and Director (Precision Attack) and Controller of the Navy in March 2009.[6]

Hussain is a prominent advocate of greater minority participation in the armed forces. However, he dislikes too much emphasis being placed on his religion.[2][10] He was recognised in the Muslim Power 100 List as one of the most influential Muslims in the United Kingdom.[11] He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2011 New Year Honours.[12][13]

Awards and nominations

In January 2013, Hussain was awarded the Civil Servant of the Year award at the British Muslim Awards.[14]

See also

References
  1. Akbar, Arifa (15 April 2006). "Admiral becomes highest-ranking officer from an ethnic minority". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  2. Benjamin, Alison (6 September 2006). "Leading questions: Rear Admiral Amjad Hussain is the highest ranking Muslim officer in the armed forces". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  3. "No. 48755". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 October 1981. p. 12626.
  4. "No. 53178". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 January 1993. p. 893.
  5. "No. 5012". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 January 1998. p. 351.
  6. "Rear Admiral Amjad Hussain". Royal Navy. Archived from the original on 5 December 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  7. "No. 58095". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 September 2006. p. 12407.
  8. "Muslim becomes Navy rear admiral". BBC News. BBC Online. 31 August 2006. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  9. Whitaker's Almanack 2009.
  10. ""Nothing out of the ordinary" – Navy's highest-ranking Muslim speaks about his promotion". Royal Navy. 1 September 2006. Archived from the original on 8 April 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  11. "Most influential Muslims revealed".
  12. "No. 59647". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2010. p. 2.
  13. ""New Year Honours for Lennox, Suchet, Hancock and Webb" 31 December 2010". BBC News. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  14. "Winners honoured at British Muslim Awards". Asian Image. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
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