Martin Harris (diplomat)

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This article is about the British diplomat. For other people named Martin Harris, see Martin Harris.
His Excellency
Martin Harris
OBE CMG
Official portrait, 2013
British Ambassador to Ukraine
Assumed office
September 2023
MonarchCharles III
Prime MinisterRishi Sunak
Preceded byMelinda Simmons
British Ambassador to Romania
In office
2010 – April 2014
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byRobin Barnett
Succeeded byPaul Brummell
Personal details
Born
Martin Fergus Harris

(1969-05-17) 17 May 1969 (age 54)
Edinburgh, Scotland
SpouseLinda MacLachlan
Children3
Alma materUniversity of Cambridge
OccupationDiplomat

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[edit]

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

Career[edit]

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.[4] He then moved to the British Embassy in Kyiv where he was Consul General and Deputy Head of Mission from 2003 to 2008.[4]

Harris returned to London in 2008 where he was an adviser in the Cabinet Office on Afghanistan, Pakistan, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.[4] 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.[4] He was the Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office from 2017 to 2022.[4]

Ambassador to Ukraine (2023–present)[edit]

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.[2] 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[edit]

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

Honours[edit]

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.[4]

References[edit]

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