Sir Simon McDonald GCMG KCMG KCVO

Biography

Sir Simon McDonald was the Permanent Under Secretary and Head of the Diplomatic Service at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office August 2015 to August 2020.

Sir Simon joined the British Diplomatic Service in 1982 and served in Berlin, Jeddah, Riyadh, Bonn, Washington and Tel Aviv, and in a wide range of jobs in London.

Sir Simon served as the British Ambassador to Berlin from 2010 to 2015. He was the Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy Adviser and Head of Foreign and Defence Policy in the Cabinet Office from 2007 to 2010. From 2003 to 2006 he was British Ambassador to Israel.

He was appointed Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George in 2014.