Dame Barbara Woodward DCMG OBE
Biography
Ambassador Barbara Woodward is the UK’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. Since 2020, she has led the UK Mission’s work at the UN to protect and advance UK security and prosperity, and drive progress on global peace and development.
Prior to that, Barbara was UK Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China. She took a government-to-government, business-to-business and people-to-people approach to advancing UK interests in China from 2015-2020. This period saw a doubling of UK-China trade to $100bn and a State visit by President Xi Jinping to meet Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. She was also Deputy Ambassador to China from 2007-2009, including during the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Paralympics.
She joined the Board of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as Director General Economic and Consular in October 2011, where she led the restructuring of FCO’s approach to economic diplomacy. Her expertise in the economic, commercial and security aspects of foreign policy extends beyond China, with experience working on the UK’s multilateral relationships with Europe and the UN in Geneva and New York, as well as in the British Embassy Moscow from 1994-98, after which she was awarded an OBE for her role in securing the release of two British hostages from Chechnya.
Barbara was International Director of the UK Border Agency in the Home Office from 2009-2011.
Barbara was awarded an MA in International Relations from Yale University (1990) and in History from St Andrews University (1983).
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Ambassador and Permanent Representative, UK Mission to the UN New York
The Ambassador’s role is to represent the UK within an international organisation, engaging with every other country or organisation that belongs to or observes the body. The Ambassador is also responsible for the direction and work of the Mission. Ambassadors to multilateral missions are often referred to as ‘Permanent Representatives’.