Sarah Taylor
Biography
Sarah Taylor is the Director, Consular and Crisis at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). She was appointed in July 2024.
Previously Sarah led the FCDO’s Office for Conflict, Stabilisation and Mediation. She also worked on the UK government’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Sarah has served as Europe Director, responsible for the UK’s bilateral relationships across Europe and overseeing the FCDO’s European network of diplomatic missions. Before that, Sarah was responsible for overseeing continuity of international agreements as the UK left the EU.
Sarah joined the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in 2016 as Cyber Director, overseeing the UK’s international efforts to promote a peaceful and secure cyberspace and call out state sponsored cyberattacks. She was awarded 2018 Marie Clair ‘Future Shaper’ award for her work on the application of international law in cyberspace.
Sarah has held roles in the Cabinet Office, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
She spent time in local government on secondment to the London Borough of Hackney as it hosted the 2012 Olympic Games, and in international government at UNHQ New York, as Special Assistant to the Director of the United Nations Security Council.
Director Consular and Crisis
The Director Consular and Crisis leads the UK’s consular services globally, including providing assistance to British nationals in difficulty overseas, and preparing for and responding to crises abroad. They oversee a Directorate of around 200 staff in the UK and a network of around 600 staff in 160 countries and territories around the world.
Find out more about the Consular and Crisis Strategy and how the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office supports British nationals abroad.