Richard Paniguian

[1] Paniguian's father, Hracia, known to friends as 'Pan', was a leading figure in British intelligence, a veteran of the Special Operations Executive, and an expert in psychological warfare who eventually settled into a career in advertising.

[3] The Panaguian household in South Kensington, within easy reach of several embassies, was a discreet meeting place for Hracia's French, north African, Greek and Middle Eastern contacts during and after the Second World War.

[1] It was also within walking distance of the Natural History Museum and Royal Albert Hall, and the young Richard often went boating in the lake of the nearby Regent's Park.

[1] At Durham he was a member of Hatfield College and also played rugby union 'of the coarsest variety' alongside the future Air Marshal Peter Walker for the University 4th XV.

[6][7] After university he joined British Petroleum in 1971 as a graduate trainee in the oil trading division, and spent the first years of his career in Oman and then Dubai.

[8] The release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi in 2009, demanded by Colonel Gaddafi in return for BP oil contracts and counter-terrorism assistance, meant Paniguian was well placed to answer requests from the Libyan Government for arms and military training.

[9] Sir Richard was married to Lady Paniguian (Nil Okan) JP FCIL (Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Linguists), and had two stepsons, Emir and Efe.