Nick Leake

Biography

Nick Leake started his Post as Deputy Director and Head of Policy Division with the UK Government in Scotland in May 2018. He will ensure improved communication and policy coordination, in particular in key areas related to Brexit including migration, agriculture and fisheries. He will also lead on international and defence policy for the UK Government in Scotland.

Nick served as Deputy Head of Mission and Head of the EU and Economic Section at the British Embassy Berlin between 2014 to 2018. As the lead senior official responsible for delivering Brexit policy in Germany, Nick gave over 200 public presentations across the country, mainly to business groups, and supported Ministers and senior officials leading Brexit negotiations in London and Brussels.

Prior to Berlin, he served as High Commissioner to the Republic of Mauritius 2010 to 2014. Nick was also non-resident Chargé d’Affaires in Madagascar and non-resident Ambassador to the Union of the Comoros.

Nick joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1994 and started his career in the European Union Department in London, before serving in Budapest, Hungary (1996 to 2000) and at the UK Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels (2000 to 2002). Nick then left the FCO for a secondment with HM Treasury in London, and later worked for the Commission for Africa as part of the UK Presidency of the G8.

Returning to the FCO in January 2005, Nick was appointed Private Secretary to the Europe Minister (Denis MacShane) and then to the Minister for Trade and Asia (Ian Pearson). From 2006 to 2010 he served as Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Nick comes from Newcastle in north-east England. He has a law degree from the University of Warwick, including study at the Universities of Saarbruecken (Germany) and Lille (France). He has an MBA from the Open University, and speaks German, Hungarian, French and Bulgarian.