Dr Peter Hayes

Biography

Peter Hayes was Director for the Overseas Territories from October 2012 until November 2016. He was concurrently Commissioner for the British Antarctic Territory and Commissioner for the British Indian Ocean Territory. Before that he spent a year on secondment as Head of Public Affairs at the London Stock Exchange.

His most recent diplomatic assignment was as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and Non-Resident High Commissioner to the Maldives from January 2008 until November 2010. Throughout his diplomatic career, Peter has held a number of positions including Principal Private Secretary to former UK Foreign Secretaries Jack Straw, Margaret Beckett and David Miliband.

Peter also served as Counsellor in the British Embassy in Washington DC covering energy, environment, science and climate change, and HM Consul General in Washington DC.

Peter holds a PhD in nuclear physics from Kings College, London.