Matthew Lodge (diplomat)
Matthew Lodge | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lodge in 2013 | |
| British Ambassador to Greece | |
| Assumed office September 2021 | |
| Monarchs | Elizabeth II Charles III |
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson Liz Truss Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Kate Smith |
| British Ambassador to Kuwait | |
| In office 2014–2017 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron Theresa May |
| Preceded by | Frank Baker |
| Succeeded by | Michael Davenport |
| British Ambassador to Finland | |
| In office 2010–2013 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Valerie Caton |
| Succeeded by | Sarah Price |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Matthew James Lodge 3 June 1968 |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Birmingham (BA) |
Matthew James Lodge (born 3 June 1968) is a British diplomat. Since September 2021, he has been Ambassador to Greece. Previously, he served as UK Ambassador to Finland (2010–2013) and UK Ambassador to Kuwait (2014–2017).
Early life and education[edit]
Lodge was born on 3 June 1968 in Crosby, Lancashire, England. He was educated at Abingdon School, a private school in Oxfordshire.[1]
Military service[edit]
On 10 September 1986, Lodge was commissioned in the Royal Marines as a second lieutenant, with seniority in that rank from 1 September 1986.[2] Having been awarded a university cadetship,[3][4] he studied modern languages (French and Russian) at the University of Birmingham, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons) degree.[1][3] He reached the rank of lieutenant, before retiring from the Royal Marines on 4 May 1996 after ten years of service.[5]
Diplomatic career[edit]
Lodge joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1996.[3] His early appointments were initially focused on the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean.[3] He was private secretary to the Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from 2004 to 2007.[1] He was deputy head of mission at the British Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq in 2007, and then attended the Higher Command and Staff Course in 2008.[1][3]
From 2008 to 2010, Lodge was head of the Afghanistan Group in the FCO.[1] He served as Her Majesty's Ambassador to Finland from 2010 to 2013, and Her Majesty's Ambassador to the State of Kuwait from 2014 to 2017.[3] In 2017, he was made a minister at the British Embassy in Paris, in addition to serving as ambassador and permanent delegate to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).[3] He was promoted to deputy head of mission in 2020.[1] In December 2020, it was announced that he would be the next British Ambassador to Greece.[6] He presented his credentials to Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of the Hellenic Republic, on 22 September 2021.[7]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f "Lodge, Matthew James, (born 3 June 1968), HM Diplomatic Service; Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic, since 2021". Who's Who 2022. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "No. 50702". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 November 1986. p. 14181.
- ^ a b c d e f g "British Ambassador to Greece: Matthew Lodge". GOV.UK. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "No. 51101". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 October 1987. pp. 13216–13217.
- ^ "No. 54389". The London Gazette. 3 May 1996. p. 6354.
- ^ "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to Greece: Matthew Lodge". GOV.UK. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "ANNOUNCEMENT: New British Ambassador to Greece, Matthew Lodge, presented his credentials - BHCC". British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 7 February 2022.