Michael Anthony Arthur
Encyclopedia
Sir Michael Anthony Arthur KCMG
(born 28 August 1950) is a British diplomat and has been the United Kingdom's Ambassador to Germany since 2007. Previously, he was the UK's High Commissioner in New Delhi.
, starting out in 1972 in the UK Mission to the United Nations, and moving in 1973 to the UK's Mission in Geneva working on the additional protocols to the Geneva Convention. Between 1981 and 1984, he was Private Secretary to the Lord Privy Seal and Minister of State in the Foreign Office
, and in 1984 became First Secretary Political at the British Embassy in Bonn
(then the administrative capital of West Germany
). He was a Political Counselor at the Embassy in Paris from 1993 to 1997 and Deputy Head of Mission in Washington from 1999 to 2001.
In 2001, Arthur was appointed Director General Europe and Economic at the Foreign Office
and in 2003 succeeded Sir Rob Young as High Commissioner in New Delhi. He became Ambassador to Germany in 2007, succeeding Sir Peter Torry
.
Sir Michael is to retire from the Diplomatic Service
in October 2010, and is to be succeeded in Berlin by Simon McDonald, former Ambassador to Israel and currently Head of Foreign and Defence Policy in the Cabinet Office
.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(born 28 August 1950) is a British diplomat and has been the United Kingdom's Ambassador to Germany since 2007. Previously, he was the UK's High Commissioner in New Delhi.
Career
Arthur had previously worked in a number of positions within the Diplomatic ServiceHer Majesty's Diplomatic Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service is the diplomatic service of the United Kingdom, dealing with foreign affairs, as opposed to the Home Civil Service, which deals with domestic affairs...
, starting out in 1972 in the UK Mission to the United Nations, and moving in 1973 to the UK's Mission in Geneva working on the additional protocols to the Geneva Convention. Between 1981 and 1984, he was Private Secretary to the Lord Privy Seal and Minister of State in the Foreign Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
, and in 1984 became First Secretary Political at the British Embassy in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
(then the administrative capital of West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
). He was a Political Counselor at the Embassy in Paris from 1993 to 1997 and Deputy Head of Mission in Washington from 1999 to 2001.
In 2001, Arthur was appointed Director General Europe and Economic at the Foreign Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
and in 2003 succeeded Sir Rob Young as High Commissioner in New Delhi. He became Ambassador to Germany in 2007, succeeding Sir Peter Torry
Peter Torry
Sir Peter James Torry, GCVO, KCMG was the UK Ambassador to Germany from 2003 until 30 September 2007. He is now a senior adviser to Centrica PLC, Celesio AG, STAR Capital Partners, and is a member of the advisory board of Betfair plc and the Kiel Global Economic Symposium and a policy fellow of...
.
Sir Michael is to retire from the Diplomatic Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service is the diplomatic service of the United Kingdom, dealing with foreign affairs, as opposed to the Home Civil Service, which deals with domestic affairs...
in October 2010, and is to be succeeded in Berlin by Simon McDonald, former Ambassador to Israel and currently Head of Foreign and Defence Policy in the Cabinet Office
Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the United Kingdom....
.