Richard Deighton

Lead Consultant

Richard is a strategic advisor specialising in helping British companies enter and grow in Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC. What sets him apart is his ability to build authentic, trusted relationships with Arab counterparts—an approach that consistently opens doors and accelerates commercial progress in the region.

Richard has been living in and engaging with the Arab world since 2001, when he worked in Morocco, and he has spent more than two decades developing deep cultural understanding and strong interpersonal fluency. This foundation, combined with conversational Arabic, enables him to navigate complex cross cultural environments with confidence and credibility.

He is known for maintaining a strong network of senior and influential leaders across Saudi Arabia, the wider GCC, and the UK. These relationships underpin his work supporting effective market entry, partnership development, and long term regional growth.

Richard is Vice Chair of the North East Defence and Security Cluster, the founder of Partner Arabia, and has held senior roles across business development, economic strategy, and diplomacy. He previously served as a Trade Advisor for the Department for Business and Trade, leading on defence and Middle East engagement across the North of England.