You have been Deputy Head of the Projects Task Force in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for the past two years. What does that entail?
I am one of three Deputy Heads. We each run a team of project officers of different grades and experience. We all deploy across the office to do urgent high priority work when individual FCO Departments do not have the resources to take it on.
Read MoreYou have been Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark since 2012. What does it entail?
Leading the embassy in using the relationship with Denmark to pursue British interests. That means trying to convince the Danes to agree with us on key policy issues, to work alongside us, for example in Iraq or on Ebola, being able to explain Danish positions to colleagues in the UK who are themselves looking for support or partnership with Denmark, promoting British exports and investment into the UK and looking after British citizens needing assistance in Denmark.
Read MoreWhat do you do as Arabic spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)?
I am currently the London-based Arabic Spokesperson of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, reaching out on behalf of Her Majesty's Government to an estimated 370 million Arabic speakers worldwide. Alongside print, broadcast and online interviews and press briefings, I manage relationships with the Arab press corps in London and with media outlets across the Middle East and North Africa region. I also support Ministers, Ambassadors and policy teams in their Arab media outreach and strategic communications work.
Read MoreYou’re currently a senior diplomat posted at the FCO in London. What does that entail?
I am currently preparing for my posting as Ambassador to Zimbabwe, which starts at the end of August. This entails training courses and briefings around Whitehall and with external partners, including parliamentarians, academics and business people.
Read MoreYou’re currently the British Ambassador to Finland. What does it entail?
My job is to promote good relations between the UK and Finland, to our mutual benefit. I cover a fantastic range of subjects – EU, Ukraine, Ebola, Arms Trade Treaty, commercial and consular work – because our contacts with Finland are so rich and we share so many objectives in the world. No two days are the same; in the past 10 days I was with the Finnish Prime Minister in 10 Downing Street, visited a science park on Finland’s west coast and hosted trade promotion events at the Residence.
Read MoreWhat do you do as Deputy Head, Commercial and Economic Diplomacy Department (CEDD) of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)?
As deputy head, I lead the FCO's diplomatic support to UK businesses overseas. I manage three teams covering commercial diplomacy and business outreach, market access and economic openness and trade policy, so it's a wide-ranging agenda.
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