Myles Wickstead was, from early 2004 to late 2005, Head of Secretariat to the Commission for Africa.  He has a long history of involvement with, and working in, Africa. Between 1993 and 1997 he was based in Nairobi as Head of the British  Development Division in Eastern Africa, responsible for British Government development programmes in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. He coordinated the 1997 Government White Paper 'Eliminating World Poverty: A Challenge for the 21st Century’; served on the Board of the World Bank (and as Development Counsellor at the British Embassy) in Washington from 1997 to 2000; and from 2000 to 2004 was based in Addis Ababa as British Ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti.

Having left Government service in late 2005, Myles is now Visiting Professor (International Relations) at the Open University; Senior Advisor to the Africa Unit (Association of Commonwealth Universities); and is on the Boards of a number of NGOs, Trusts and Foundations. He is Chair of CONCERN UK and One World Media (OWM); Independent Vice-Chair of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy; and Board member of the Baring Foundation, the Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET), the Crown Agents Foundation, the Development Studies Association, the Comic Relief International Grants Committee, the International Inspiration Foundation and the Advisory Council of Wilton Park.

Myles has degrees from the Universities of St Andrews (MA First Class Honours) and Oxford (M.Litt), and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Education by Leeds Met University in July 2009 in recognition of his work on Africa.  In the New Years Honours 2006 he was appointed CBE.

Myles Wickstead is participating in the Hit or myth: UK / Africa partnerships supporting skills development session.