Martin Harris (diplomat) explained

Honorific Prefix:His Excellency
Honorific Suffix:OBE CMG
Office:British Ambassador to Ukraine
Predecessor:Melinda Simmons
Term Start:September 2023
Primeminister:Rishi Sunak
Office1:British Ambassador to Romania
Predecessor1:Robin Barnett
Successor1:Paul Brummell
Termstart1:2010
Termend1:April 2014
Monarch1:Elizabeth II
Primeminister1:David Cameron
Birth Date:17 May 1969
Birth Name:Martin Fergus Harris
Birth Place:Edinburgh, Scotland
Spouse:Linda MacLachlan
Occupation:Diplomat
Children:3
Alma Mater:University of Cambridge

Martin Fergus Harris (born 17 May 1969) is a British diplomat who has served as British Ambassador to Ukraine since 2023. He previously served as British Ambassador to Romania from 2010 to 2014.

Early life

Martin Fergus Harris was born on 17 May 1969 in Edinburgh.[1] [2] Harris read history at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.[3]

Career

Harris joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1991 and was the Second Secretary at the UK delegation to the OCSE in Vienna from 1992 to 1996.[4] He led the FCO's Pakistan and Afghanistan section from 1997 to 1998 and ran the UK's programme of technical assistance in the Russian Federation at the British Embassy in Moscow from 1999 to 2003. He then moved to the British Embassy in Kyiv where he was Consul General and Deputy Head of Mission from 2003 to 2008.

Harris returned to London in 2008 where he was an adviser in the Cabinet Office on Afghanistan, Pakistan, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. From 2010 to 2014, he was the British Ambassador to Romania and from 2014 to 2017 was the Minister and Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Moscow. He was the Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office from 2017 to 2022.

Ambassador to Ukraine (2023–present)

Harris was named the new British Ambassador to Ukraine in July 2023 to succeed Melinda Simmons,[5] [6] and assumed office in September of the same year. He presented his credentials to Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister, Yevhen Perebyinis, on 11 September and to President Volodymyr Zelensky on 27 September.[7] [8] [9]

Personal life

Harris met Linda MacLachlan when they were students at Corpus Christi College, and the couple married in the College Chapel. They have 3 daughters.[10]

Honours

Harris was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2010 and a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 2023.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Harris, Martin Fergus, (born 17 May 1969), HM Diplomatic Service; Ambassador to Ukraine, since 2023 . 2024-01-02 . WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO . en.
  2. Web site: Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Ukraine: Martin Harris . 2024-01-02 . GOV.UK . en.
  3. Web site: Corpus alumnus named Ambassador to Ukraine Corpus Christi College University of Cambridge . 2024-02-13 . www.corpus.cam.ac.uk . en.
  4. Web site: Martin Harris CMG OBE . 2024-01-02 . GOV.UK . en.
  5. News: Sullivan . Helen . Ferguson . Léonie Chao-Fong (now); Donna . Sullivan (earlier) . Helen . 2023-07-06 . Russia-Ukraine war live: six die in missile strike on Lviv – as it happened . 2024-02-13 . the Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  6. Web site: 2023-07-06 . UK names new ambassador to Ukraine as Melinda Simmons’ four-year term ends . 2024-02-13 . The Independent . en.
  7. Web site: 2023-09-11 . New UK ambassador begins his duty in Ukraine . 2024-02-13 . The Kyiv Independent . en.
  8. Web site: British Ambassador presents credentials to President of Ukraine . 2024-02-13 . GOV.UK . en.
  9. Web site: Ward . Sarah . 2023-10-08 . New Ukraine ambassador wore a kilt for first meeting with Zelensky . 2024-02-13 . Evening Standard . en.
  10. Web site: Martin Harris Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs . 2024-01-02 . en-GB.