Michael Gifford
Michael Gifford | |
|---|---|
 Gifford in 2012 | |
| British Ambassador to Kazakhstan | |
| In office January 2018 – March 2021 | |
| Monarchs | Elizabeth II Charles III |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Carolyn Browne |
| Succeeded by | Kathy Leach |
| British Ambassador to North Korea | |
| In office 2012–2015 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Karen Wolstenholme |
| Succeeded by | Alastair Morgan |
| British Ambassador to Yemen | |
| In office 2004–2007 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Frances Guy |
| Succeeded by | Timothy Torlot |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael John Gifford 2 April 1961 |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse | Patricia Owen |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Hastings Grammar School |
Michael John Gifford OBE (born 2 April 1961) is a British diplomat who was the United Kingdom's Ambassador to Kazakhstan from January 2018 March 2021.[1]
Career
[edit]Gifford joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1981. From 2004 until 2007 he served as the British Ambassador to Yemen. He was then the Deputy Head of Mission in Cairo. He became the Ambassador to North Korea in October 2012.[2] He left that appointment in December 2015 and was succeeded by Alastair Morgan.[3] After full-time Russian language training he was appointed to be the Ambassador to Kazakhstan from early 2018.[4] He will leave this post in late summer 2021 and retire from the Diplomatic Service.[5]
Gifford was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to British foreign policy.[6]
Personal life
[edit]Gifford is married to his wife, Patricia, and the couple have one son and one daughter.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ Gifford, Michael John. Who's Who 2018. 1 December 2017. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.42706.
- ^ a b "British Ambassador to Democratic People's Republic of Korea: Michael Gifford". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ^ "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
- ^ "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to Kazakhstan". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 20 January 2017.
- ^ "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to Kazakhstan: Kathy Leach" (Press release). GOV.UK. 17 December 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "No. 63571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N27.
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- 1961 births
- Living people
- People educated at Hastings Grammar School
- Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to North Korea
- Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Yemen
- Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Kazakhstan
- Officers of the Order of the British Empire
- Members of HM Diplomatic Service
- 20th-century British diplomats
- 21st-century British diplomats
- British diplomat stubs