James Nicholas Allan CMG CBE (born 22 May 1932) is a former British diplomat, High Commissioner in Mauritius (1981–1985) and ambassador to Mozambique (1986–1989).
Allan is the son of Morris Edward Allan and Joan Bach, and is a half-brother of Lord Bach.
Allan was educated at Gresham's School, Holt, Norfolk, from 1946 to 1950, and at the London School of Economics from 1953 to 1956.
1950-1953: National Service1953-1956: London School of Economics1956-1958: Assistant Principal, Commonwealth Relations Office, London1958-1959: Third Secretary and Second Secretary, British High Commission to South Africa1959-1961: Private Secretary to Parliamentary Under-Secretary1961-1964: First Secretary, British High Commission to Sierra Leone1964: British High Commission to Cyprus1964-1968: Commonwealth Relations Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London1969-1971: Head of Chancery, British Embassy to China1971-1973: Head of Chancery, British Embassy to Luxembourg1973-1975: Counsellor in Northern Ireland Office, Belfast1976-1977: Counsellor, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London1978-1979: Head of Overseas Information Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, LondonDecember 1979 to March 1980: Governor's Staff, Salisbury, Rhodesia1980-1981: Head of Overseas Information Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London1981-1985: High Commissioner in Mauritius1984-1985: (simultaneously) Ambassador to the Comoro Islands1986-1989: Ambassador to Mozambique1989-1992: Senior Directing Staff, Royal College of Defence Studies, LondonIn 1961, Allan married Helena Susara Crouse. They had one son, Nick Allan, and one daughter, Sarah. Mrs Allan died in 2001.
Commander of the Order of the British Empire, 1976Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, 1989He is a member of the Athenaeum Club, London .
