His Excellency
Nigel Baker
OBE MVO
British Ambassador to Slovakia
Assumed office
August 2020
MonarchsElizabeth II
Charles III
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Liz Truss
Rishi Sunak
Preceded byAndrew Garth
British Ambassador to the Holy See
In office
2011–2016
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byFrancis Campbell
Succeeded bySally Axworthy
British Ambassador to Bolivia
In office
2007–2011
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime Minister
Preceded byPeter Bateman
Succeeded byRoss Denny
Personal details
Born (1966-09-09) 9 September 1966 (age 57)
Birmingham, England
SpouseAlexandra (Saša) Baker
ChildrenBenjamin James Baker
Alma materGonville and Caius College, Cambridge
OccupationDiplomat

Nigel Marcus Baker OBE MVO (born 9 September 1966) is a British diplomat, who was formerly Ambassador to Bolivia and Ambassador to the Holy See. He was Head of the Latin America department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 2016 to 2019, and in August 2020 took up his appointment as British Ambassador to Slovakia.[1]

Early life and education

Baker was born on 9 September 1966. He educated at Dulwich College, an all-boys private boarding school in London. He studied history at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, graduating with a first class honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1988: as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Cantab) in 1992.[2]

Career

Baker with Pope Francis

After a brief period as researcher in the Conservative Research Department he joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1989. After early overseas postings in Prague and Bratislava he took a research sabbatical in Verona (from 1996–97) studying Italian and European history.

Returning to the FCO, he was Head of the European Defence Section in the Security Policy Department between 1998–2000. He was then assistant Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales 2000–03, Deputy Head of Mission, Havana, 2003–06 and Ambassador to Bolivia 2007–11 before being appointed to the Holy See.[3] He presented his credentials to Pope Benedict XVI on 9 September 2011. In 2016, he returned to the FCO as Deputy Director for the Americas and Head of the South America Department. He became Deputy Director and Head of the Latin America Department in 2018.

Baker was appointed MVO in 2003 for services to the Prince of Wales, and OBE in 2010.[4]

In 2013 he edited Britain and the Holy See: A Celebration of 1982 and the Wider Relationship, which set out the proceedings of the 2012 Rome Colloquium on the relationship between Britain and the Holy See. Contributors include Professor Eamon Duffy, Professor Judith Champ, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien, and Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor.

In August 2020 he became Ambassador to Slovakia, succeeding Andrew Garth.

Notes

  1. ^ "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to Slovakia: August 2020" (Press release). Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 22 May 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Baker, Nigel Marcus, (born 9 Sept. 1966), HM Diplomatic Service; Ambassador to Slovakia, since 2020". Who's Who 2021. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Nigel Baker OBE MVO - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  4. ^ "Nigel Baker OBE MVO - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2019.

References

Diplomatic posts Preceded byPeter Bateman British Ambassador to Bolivia 2007–2011 Succeeded byRoss Denny Preceded byFrancis Campbell British Ambassador to the Holy See 2011–2016 Succeeded bySally Axworthy Preceded byAndrew Garth British Ambassador to Slovakia 2020 Incumbent
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