Julian King (diplomat)
Sir Julian King | |
|---|---|
 | |
| European Commissioner for the Security Union | |
| Assumed office 19 September 2016 | |
| President | Jean-Claude Juncker |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| British Ambassador to France | |
| In office January 2016 – 19 September 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Ricketts |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Llewellyn of Steep |
| British Ambassador to Ireland | |
| In office 2009–2012 | |
| Preceded by | David Reddaway |
| Succeeded by | Dominick Chilcott |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 August 1964 |
| Political party | Independent |
| Alma mater | St Peter's College, Oxford École nationale d'administration |
Sir Julian Beresford King KCVO CMG (born 22 August 1964) is a British diplomat and civil servant who has been Ambassador to Ireland, Director General of the Northern Ireland Office and (from January 2016) Ambassador to France. On 8 July 2016, King was nominated by David Cameron to succeed Jonathan Hill as the British European Commissioner. On 2 August 2016, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced his intention to nominate King for the new post of Security Commissioner.[1] After the approval of his nomination made by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, he took office on 19 September 2016.
Biography
King gained a BA in Philosophy and Theology from St Peter's College, Oxford[2] He also studied at the École nationale d'administration in Paris where he met his future wife. He joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1985.
After the resignation of Jonathan Hill as the British European Commissioner and European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum, Prime Minister David Cameron nominated King to replace him. On 2 August 2016, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced his intention to allocate the new portfolio of Security Union to King. King would work under the supervision of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans.[3][4] The European Parliament confirmed his appointment on 15 September 2016,[5] and the Council of the European Union did so on 19 September 2016.[6][7]
Diplomatic career
- 1985–1987 Foreign office in London
- 1987–1988 École nationale d'administration
- 1989–1990 Private Secretary to the British Ambassador (Sir Ewen Fergusson) in Paris
- 1991–1992 worked on European common foreign and security policy (CFSP) in Luxembourg, the Hague, Lisbon then London
- 1993–1995 London, working on European defence and NATO issues
- 1998–2002 Brussels, working on relations with Turkey, European defence, CFSP and EU enlargement
- 2003–2004 Counsellor and Head of Chancery at UK mission to the UN in New York City (covering UN Security Council business in the period after the Iraq War)
- 2004–2007 UK Permanent Representative to the EU Political and Security Committee in Brussels, covering common foreign and security policy (CFSP).
- 2005 Chaired the EU Political and Security Committee during the UK presidency
- 2008–2009 Head of the office of the British Commissioner in Brussels (Peter Mandelson then Baroness Ashton). Represented the EU27 on international trade matters, including negotiations on the WTO Doha Round.
- 2009–2011 British Ambassador to Ireland
- 2011–2014 Director General of the Northern Ireland Office
- 2014–2015 Director-General Economic & Consular Affairs, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- 2016 British Ambassador to France
- 2016–present European Commissioner for the Security Union
Honours
King was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 2006. He was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) by Queen Elizabeth during a visit to Belfast on 24 June 2014, when he relinquished his appointment as Director General of the Northern Ireland Office.[8]
Personal life
 |
He married a Danish colleague, Lotte Knudsen in 1992 near Gers in south-west France.[9] They had met as students in Paris and still have a house near where they married. Lotte Knudsen worked in the European Commission as Director for Justice Matters in Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security. They have two dogs, Molly and Cadbury. Cadbury was adopted from the Dogs Trust, an international dog charity with a re-homing centre in Dublin.
References
- ^ Adam Lusher. "Why is the EU appointing a British security chief after Brexit?". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- ^ "Sir Julian King nominated as EU Commissioner". St Peter's College. 12 July 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
- ^ "European Commission - PRESS RELEASES - Press release - President Juncker consults the European Parliament on Sir Julian King as Commissioner for the Security Union". Europa.eu. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- ^ "Julian King : Commissioner for the Security Union" (PDF). Ec.eurtopa.eu. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- ^ Parliament endorses Sir Julian King as Commissioner for Security Union. European Parliament press release, 15 September 2016. Accessed 18 September 2016.
- ^ "Julian King appointed new commissioner for security union" (PDF). 19 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
- ^ "EU appoints Briton Julian King as commissioner for security". uk.reuters.com. 19 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
- ^ Court Circular, 24 June 2014
- ^ Jacques Hubert-Rodier (18 February 2016). "Julian King, ambassadeur de Sa Majesté". Les Échos. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
External links
- Profile, IrishTimes.com
- The Dogs Trust website, dogstrust.ie
- Sir Julian King KCVO CMG, gov.uk
- 1964 births
- Alumni of St Peter's College, Oxford
- Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to France
- Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Ireland
- British European Commissioners
- Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
- École nationale d'administration alumni
- Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
- Living people
- People educated at Bishop Vesey's Grammar School
- People from Sutton Coldfield