Emil Levendoǧlu
Biography
Emil is Minister and Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Tokyo, a post he took up in October 2023. This is his first posting with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Emil began his UK Civil Service career in 2001 at HM Treasury, having previously worked in academia and financial services. At the Treasury, he worked on financial sector policy, leading on bank resolution and regulatory reform during the global financial crisis. In 2012, Emil followed his wife, Farida - a UK diplomat - to southern Africa, where he consulted on financial sector reform to several African governments. In 2016, he worked for a committee of the Chairs of large UK financial institutions, tasked with helping the City of London prepare for Brexit.
In 2017, Emil returned to the Treasury, joining its international division as the UK Executive Director to the Board of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in Beijing, while also leading work on the Chancellor’s economic dialogues with China, India and Brazil. From 2019 to 2023, he was seconded to the Cabinet Office as Asia-Pacific Director in the National Security Secretariat, where his responsibilities included being G20 Sous-Sherpa and UK Coordinator for the AUKUS partnership.
As a Civil Service leader, Emil has focused on advocacy for mental health support in the workplace. Outside work, he is a keen cyclist and supporter of Arsenal Football Club. He studied at the universities of Oxford (BA Politics and Philosophy), Cambridge (MPhil Philosophy) and California, Berkeley (MA Political Science).
Minister and Deputy Head of Mission to Japan
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.