Paul Brummell
OfficeBritish Ambassador to Latvia
Term startJuly 2021
Term endJuly 2025
PredecessorKeith Shannon
SuccessorKathy Leach
MonarchElizabeth II
Charles III
Prime ministerBoris Johnson
Liz Truss
Rishi Sunak
Keir Starmer
Office 1British Ambassador to Romania
Term start 12014
Term end 12018
Predecessor 1Martin Harris
Successor 1Andrew Noble
Monarch 1Elizabeth II
Prime minister 1David Cameron
Theresa May
Office 2British High Commissioner to Barbados and other Caribbean countries
Term start 22010
Term end 22013
Predecessor 2Duncan Taylor
Successor 2Victoria Dean
Monarch 2Elizabeth II
Prime minister 2David Cameron
Office 3British Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
Term start 32005
Term end 32009
Predecessor 3James Lyall Sharp
Successor 3David Moran
Monarch 3Elizabeth II
Prime minister 3Tony Blair
Gordon Brown
Office 4British Ambassador to Turkmenistan
Term start 42002
Term end 42005
Predecessor 4Fraser Wilson
Successor 4Peter Butcher
Monarch 4Elizabeth II
Prime minister 4Tony Blair
Birth date28 August 1965 (age 60)
EducationSt Albans School
Alma materSt Catharine's College, Cambridge
OccupationDiplomat, travel writer
Honorific prefixHis Excellency

Paul Brummell (born 28 August 1965)[1] is a British diplomat and travel writer.

Early life

Brummell was educated at St Albans School before reading geography at St Catharine's College, Cambridge. He entered the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1987.[1]

Career

After stints in Pakistan and Italy, interspersed with jobs in Whitehall, Brummell received his first posting as head of a diplomatic mission in 2002, as Ambassador to Turkmenistan. In 2005, he made the relatively short move to head the embassy in Kazakhstan, a position that also includes being non-resident ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.[2] That same year his name was among a list of individuals claimed to be serving members of the Secret Intelligence Service that appeared on the US website Cryptome.[3]

In 2008 he invited the US ambassador, Tatiana Gfoeller, to a meeting with the Duke of York and British businessmen; her report to Washington, leaked by WikiLeaks and reported by British and international media, mentioned indiscreet remarks by the Duke.[4][5]

In 2009 Brummell was transferred to Bridgetown, Barbados, where he served as High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines) until 2013, and was also UK representative to CARICOM and the OECS.[6]

Following this, Brummell served as Ambassador to Romania from 2014 to 2018.[7]

He then held the position of Head of Soft Power and External Affairs Department within the Communication Directorate of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.[8]

In July 2021, he succeeded Keith Shannon as Ambassador to Latvia,[9][7] serving until July 2025 when he was succeeded by Kathy Leach.[10]

Honours

Brummell was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to foreign policy.[11]

Publications

  • Turkmenistan, Bradt Travel Guides, 2005. ISBN 978-1-84162-144-9
  • Kazakhstan, Bradt Travel Guides, 2008. ISBN 978-1-84162-369-6

References

  1. ^ BRUMMELL, Paul, Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014
  2. ^ President of Kazakhstan to participate in summit of Turkic states in Antalya GAZETA.KZ
  3. ^ "List of MI6 Officers Worldwide (Asia, Africa, Australia)". Cryptome. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  4. ^ US embassy cables: Prince Andrew rails against France, the SFO and the Guardian, The Guardian, 29 November 2010
  5. ^ WikiLeaks: 'Rude' British royal was blunt in session with U.S. official, CNN
  6. ^ "New British High Commissioner appointed for Eastern Caribbean". CaribbeanNetNews.com. Archived from the original on 14 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-13. Paul Brummell will be based in Barbados and will also serve the other islands in the Eastern Caribbean. [...] He will serve as Non-Resident British High Commissioner to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Brummel will succeed Duncan Taylor CBE, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.
  7. ^ "Paul Brummell - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Paul Brummell | Foreign Office Blogs". Retrieved 2019-02-07.
  9. ^ "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to Latvia: Paul Brummell". GOV.UK. 10 December 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Change of His Majesty's Ambassador to Latvia: Kathy Leach". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
  11. ^ No. 61608. 11 June 2016. p. B3.