Mr Simon Smith has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Ukraine in succession to Mr Leigh Turner who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. 
Mr Smith will take up his appointment during late summer 2012.
Simon Smith studied Modern Languages at Oxford University and joined the FCO in 1986. For the last four years he has been HM Ambassador to Austria and the UK’s representative to many of Vienna’s UN and international organisations, including as the UK’s Governor on the Board of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Tokyo, Moscow and London have been the other focal points of a career in which he has worked on a broad range of political, security policy and economic/energy policy issues, and in trade and investment promotion. He is married to Sian Stickings, a lawyer. They have two daughters.
On his appointment as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Ukraine, Mr Smith said:
“I am thrilled to have been appointed Britain’s next Ambassador to Ukraine. I’ve been fascinated by Ukraine, and its unique place in European geography and history, ever since my first visit to Kyiv in 1994. I’ve often enjoyed working fruitfully with Ukrainian colleagues in multilateral diplomacy, and my wife and I look forward to an equally rewarding partnership building further on the UK’s substantial and important relationship with Ukraine.”
Curriculum vitae
| Full name: | Simon Smith |
| Married to: | Sian Stickings |
| Children: | Two daughters |
| July 07 – present | Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Austria; UK Permanent Representative to the UN and other International Organisations; Governor, International Atomic Energy Agency |
| July 2004 – May 2007 | FCO, Director, Russia, South Caucasus and Central Asia |
| June 2002 – July 2004 | FCO, Head, North East Asia & Pacific Department |
| April 1998 – June 2002 | Moscow, Counsellor, Economic, Trade & Investment/Science and Technology |
| Dec 1997 – March 1998 | Russian language training |
| June 1995 – Dec 1997 | FCO, Deputy Head, South European Department |
| Apr 1994 – June 1995 | FCO, Policy Planning Staff |
| Oct 1992 – Apr 1994 | FCO, Head of Nuclear Policy Section, Security Policy Department |
| Sept 1989 – Oct 1992 | Tokyo, 2nd Secretary later 1st Secretary (Economic) |
| Sept 1987 – Sept 1989 | Japanese language training |
| Sept 1986 – Sept 1987 | FCO, Assistant Desk Officer, East Africa Dept |
| Sept 1981 – Sept 1986 | Department of Employment |
Source: Foreign & Commonwealth Office
