Danae Dholakia
Biography
Danae Dholakia arrived in Moscow as the Deputy Head of Mission in June 2025.
Danae’s previous overseas posting was in Beijing where she held the rank of Minister-Counsellor. Prior to that, Danae was the Foreign Secretary’s Special Envoy to Africa’s Great Lakes Region. She was also Head of Southern and Central Africa Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Danae has also served as Political Counsellor in Pretoria. Hitherto, she worked for 4 years as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Deputy Director covering Eastern Europe and Central Asia. She worked previously as a Deputy Director on Counter-Terrorism issues in the Home Office, on NATO, on the EU in Brussels, and on UN issues. Before joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office she worked in the NGO sector in Eastern and Central Africa for seven years.
Danae holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science.
Deputy Head of Mission to Russia
The Deputy Head of Mission is a senior diplomat and typically a key advisor to the Ambassador or High Commissioner. The Deputy is responsible for the daily management of an overseas Embassy or High Commission. They will represent the UK’s interests in the absence of the Ambassador as Chargé d’Affaires. A senior ranking Deputy may also take the title Minister. Smaller missions may not have a Deputy Head.
Previous roles in government
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Special Envoy for the African Great Lakes and Head of Southern and Central Africa Department