Change of High Commissioner to Ghana
Mr Jon Benjamin has been appointed British High Commissioner to Ghana.
Jon Benjamin
He will succeed to Mr Peter Jones, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Benjamin will take up his appointment in June 2014.
Mr Benjamin joined the FCO in 1986 and is currently completing a posting as Ambassador in Chile. He has been posted previously in Indonesia, Turkey and the US, as well as three years as the head of the FCO’s Human Rights and Democracy Department.
He speaks French, German, Spanish, Swedish, Indonesian and Turkish. He has a Chilean fiancée and one son.
On his appointment as British High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Benjamin has said:
It is a huge honour and privilege to be able to represent the UK in Ghana, a country making great strides forward, with such a vibrant culture and a large diaspora in the UK itself acting as a bridge between the two countries.
The UK and Ghana have many common priority issues at governmental level and I look forward to furthering that agenda. And I am glad to arrive as Ghana prepares for the World Cup with me as a brand new fan!
Curriculum vitae
Full name: Jon Benjamin
| Date | Role |
|---|---|
| 2009 – present | Santiago, Ambassador |
| 2008 – 2009 | Secondments as adviser to the Boards of AIG (New York) and Eurasia Group (New York) |
| 2005- 2008 | New York, Deputy, later Acting, Consul-General |
| 2002 – 2005 | FCO, Head of Human Rights Policy Department |
| 2000 – 2001 | FCO, Deputy Head of Drugs and International Crime Department |
| 2000 | FCO, Head of Zimbabwe Emergency Unit |
| 1996 – 1999 | Ankara, First Secretary (Head of Political Section) |
| 1995 – 1996 | Full-time language training (Turkish) |
| 1993 – 1995 | FCO, Private Secretary to Minister for Europe and Latin America |
| 1992 – 1993 | FCO, Head of Section (Central Asia/Caucasus), Eastern Department |
| 1988 – 1991 | Jakarta, Third, later Second Secretary (Political) |
| 1987 – 1988 | Full-time language training (Indonesian) |
| 1986 – 1987 | FCO, Desk Officer for Burma and Laos |
| 1986 | Department for International Development, Desk Officer for Pakistan |
Further information
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