Zahid Mahmood is a cultural diplomat, international development leader, and social entrepreneur working across education, peacebuilding, and international cooperation. As director at the British Council and UK cultural attaché to Libya, he leads initiatives that strengthen and build educational opportunity, cultural relations, and international partnerships, in contexts marked by conflict, transition, and rapid social change.

Prior to his current role, Zahid served as head of Chevening, the UK government’s flagship global scholarship program, where he helped shape one of the UK’s most influential leadership networks, connecting emerging leaders across sectors and continents. He has designed and delivered public sector programs across more than 30 countries, focusing on education in emergencies, civil society capacity building, youth leadership, and social cohesion. 

Zahid is also the founder of the ILM Project, an innovative initiative that uses forum theatre and participatory approaches in conflict-affected settings to help young people explore identity, purpose, and agency. Through this work, he has championed creative methods for dialogue and empowerment, enabling young people to become active contributors to peace, social change, and community leadership.

Zahid is a doctoral researcher at the University of Manchester, where his research examines the relationship between cultural policy and soft power in the Middle East. 

As an AsiaGlobal Fellow, his research will examine how religious traditions and institutions contribute to cultural diplomacy in China, Malaysia and Indonesia. He will explore how states deploy religious identity and institutions as instruments of cultural engagement to enhance their regional and global influence.