Monarch Elizabeth II Preceded by Sir John Holmes Education New College, Oxford Monarch Elizabeth II Spouse Susie Nemazee (m. 2001) | Preceded by Sir Nigel Sheinwald Role Diplomat Prime Minister David Cameron Name Peter Westmacott Succeeded by Nick Baird | |
 | ||
Prime Minister Gordon Brown;
David Cameron Residence Washington, D.C., United States Profiles | ||
British ambassador to the u s peter westmacott
Sir Peter John Westmacott, (born 23 December 1950) is a senior British diplomat, who was British Ambassador to Turkey, then Ambassador to France (2007 to 2011) and finally Ambassador to the United States from January 2012 to January 2016, succeeding Sir Nigel Sheinwald, a posting announced by the Prime Minister's Office on 24 June 2011.
Contents
- British ambassador to the u s peter westmacott
- Westmacott Trust Is Strong Between Washington London
- Career
- Personal life
- Honours and awards
- References
Westmacott: Trust Is Strong Between Washington, London
Career
Westmacott joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1972, and his first overseas posting was as Second Secretary at Tehran, Iran, in 1974. In 1978, he was sent to the European Commission in Brussels, and from 1980 to 1984 he was in Paris. After a period in London he was in Ankara as Head of Chancery from 1987.
In 1990 he was Deputy Private Secretary to HRH The Prince of Wales, and in 1993 was sent to Washington to serve as a Counsellor. Later postings included Director for the Americas in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Deputy Under Secretary of State.
From 2002–06, Westmacott was HM Ambassador to Turkey where, in 2003, he dealt with a suicide bomb attack directed at the British Consulate in Istanbul, killing 15 people; thereafter he was closely involved in negotiations attempting to bring Turkey into the EU.
Formerly HM Ambassador to France since 2007, Westmacott took over as HM Ambassador to the United States in January 2012. In 2015, Westmacott was paid a salary of between £170,000 and £174,999 by the Foreign Office, making him one of the 328 most highly paid people in the British public sector at that time.
Personal life
Westmacott was educated at Taunton School before going to New College, Oxford. In 2001, he married, as his second wife, Susan Nemazee.
Westmacott is the son of The Reverend Prebendary Ian Westmacott, by his wife, Rosemary (née Spencer). His cousin, Captain Herbert Westmacott MC, was killed during a gunfight with the PIRA in Belfast in 1980.
Honours and awards
He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 2003 and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to diplomacy.