Daniel Cowen (OC2009) Head of Financial Services at China Prosperity Fund, British Embassy Beijing, has been honoured for his services to British foreign policy.

He said ‘  I’m honoured to have been awarded an #MBE in the Queen’s 2021 New Year Honours List. It’s a truly humbling experience to be recognised with so many exceptional colleagues and community figures.’

‘In January and February, I led a team liaising with Chinese authorities, HM Government and Armed Forces colleagues, and stranded British Nationals themselves to evacuate hundreds of people from Wuhan and surrounding Hubei Province on four separate flights (2 UK, 1 FR, 1 NZ). Working very long shifts including many through the night, we helped evacuees navigate physical roadblocks, and ensured safe passage for many young children with documentation issues.’

‘In March and April, I setup a large team to scour the secondary market for ventilators when the UK was facing an urgent shortage. We secured and verified stocks in a turbulent market, at times in direct competition with our allies, and got life-saving units flown to the UK and into our hospitals.’

‘All of this would not have been possible without an incredible team of colleagues, both British and Chinese, as well as collaborative spirit and positive diplomatic engagement from Chinese government counterparts. As the world recovers from the pandemic, we should all think of what we can achieve when working together towards a common goal.’

Colyton Grammar School is extremely proud of Daniel’s achievements, to have an MBE at such a young age is fantastic.