Biographical Note

New Permanent Representative of United Kingdom Presents Credentials

(Based on information provided by the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

The new Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations, Mark Lyall Grant, today presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki‑moon.

At the time of his appointment, Mr. Lyall Grant was Director General Political in his country’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.  Prior to assuming that post in 2007, he was the High Commissioner in Islamabad, from 2003 to 2006.  For three years prior, from 2000, he was the Director for Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.  He headed the European Union Department (Internal) between 1998 and 2000.

Mr. Lyall Grant, who entered the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1980, was Deputy Head of the Mission in Pretoria, 1996 to 1998; Counsellor, European Secretariat at the Cabinet Office, London, from 1994 to 1996; Deputy Head, European Union Department (External), from 1993 to 1994; First Secretary (Political and Military) in Paris, from 1990 to 1993; and Private Secretary to the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, from 1987 to 1989.

The incoming Ambassador served in the European Union Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1986 to 1987, the Southern European Department from 1985 to 1986 and the South African Department from 1980 to 1981.  Between 1982 and 1985, he was Second Secretary (Political) in Islamabad.

Mr. Lyall Grant, who received a Master of Arts in Classics and Law from Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1978, having studied there from 1965, and Licence en droit europeen, ULB, Brussels, also in 1978, took the Inns of Law Bar examinations the following year, in 1979.

He is married and has two children.

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For information media • not an official record