Senior diplomat Mike Hankey took charge as the Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai recently.
A former journalist, who is fluent in Tamil, French and Arabic, had done key stints in the Middle East and Africa. He succeeded David J. Ranz.
A career diplomat since 2001, his previous assignments include postings in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Yemen, and Nigeria. He served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, besides heading the Palestinian Affairs Unit at U.S. Embassy, Jerusalem from its establishment in early 2019 as the lead for U.S. engagement with the Palestinians.
Mr. Hankey was previously Deputy to the Chief of Mission of U.S. Consulate General, Jerusalem as well as Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, where he led an inter-agency team promoting commercial and security ties in the heart of the Saudi oil industry.
“I am honoured to represent the United States of America in Western India at a time when the U.S.-India relationship is stronger than ever. As we celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties, we will continue to work to build a more prosperous, free, connected, and secure world,” he said.
Mr. Hankey said that the two countries shared commitment to democratic values, economic partnership, and people-to-people ties is the foundation which ensures greater cooperation into the future. “I look forward to exploring all that Mumbai and Western India have to offer artistically and culturally over the next three years,” he said.
The Senior Foreign Service Officer received his Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and Journalism from George Washington University, with a focus on South Asian studies, and his Master’s degree in second language education from Indiana University.
Prior to the foreign service, Mr. Hankey worked as a newspaper journalist, as an International Affairs Editor for a news service covering the United Nations, and in support of U.S. Government public affairs outreach on Arab-Israeli and South Asian issues.
