Mark Rakestraw

Biography

Mark Rakestraw was the Acting Consul General in St Petersburg from May to September 2017. Since October 2014, he has been Director of Corporate Services and Her Majesty’s Consul General at the British Embassy in Moscow. He occupied both roles whilst based in St Petersburg.

Mark is a career diplomat and joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1988. His previous overseas appointments include:

2011-2014: Khartoum, Head of Corporate Services

2008: Beijing, Consular Manager at the Olympics

2004-2007: Cairo, HM Consul

1997-2000: Lisbon, HM Vice Consul and Entry Clearance Officer

Mark was born in Manchester. He met his wife Lorna in Athens whilst he was working there in the early 1990s.