Syed Moinuddin MBE
Master of Customs Administration (2024)
“Customs, while a niche career can be very fulfilling and if you like problem solving, learning and variety. It’s the one for you.”
Like many during the COVID-19 pandemic, Syed found himself looking for ways to stay grounded, occupied and connected.
It wasn’t however until he recalled the late David Hesketh, a veteran of 42 years with HM Revenue & Customs and CCES Faculty member talk about his time as a student with CCES that Syed felt compelled to submit his application to undertake a Master of Customs Administration (MCA) in 2020.
“Every conversation I had had leading up to that moment was on the importance of continuous learning in customs. It gave me the courage and reassurance I needed to take the first step in pursuing my Masters.”
Having joined HM Revenue & Customs, the UK’s tax, payments, and customs authority in 1997 when it was then a predecessor department HM Customs & Excise, Syed has had the privilege of working in a wide variety of areas including trade policy, HR, IT, legal advice, industry engagement, tax, and EU Exit negotiations.
In his current role, Syed is responsible for negotiating customs mutual assistance agreements with international customs authorities.
The negotiation and implementation of international agreements involves a high degree of juggling and understanding the interests and priorities of the negotiating partner. On any given day Syed and his team could be working on crafting compromise language, completing the necessary domestic legal processes right through to preparing parties for the signing ceremony and submitting the agreement to Parliament. These agreements are important frameworks as they provide the legal platform for operational teams to share information to combat customs fraud.
As an accredited World Customs Organization customs modernisation adviser, Syed also undertakes capacity building missions where he is able to share his knowledge and good practices with host administrations in support of their modernisation plans. As a result of his work Syed was awarded an MBE in 2023 in recognition of his passion in promoting the work of Customs internationally and influencing international standards on trade facilitation in the World Customs Organization (WCO).
“The most enjoyable part of the job is getting to know the customs authority, their strategic contexts, organisational priorities, and helping one another to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our administrations”.
Reflecting on his career to date, it comes down to enjoying the journey and not thinking about the destination. “Nothing is holding you back except your own fears of whether you are good enough or if the career is a good fit.”
Syed is Lead adviser on cooperation and mutual assistance frameworks within HM Revenue & Customs.