Change of Her Majesty’s Ambassador to China
Barbara Janet Woodward has been appointed Her Majesty's Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China
Ms Barbara Janet Woodward CMG OBE has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China in succession to Sir Sebastian Wood KCMG. Ms Woodward will take up her appointment during early 2015.
Ms Woodward joined the FCO in 1994. She has worked in China, Russia, the EU and at the UN. Ms Woodward was most recently a member of the Board of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as Director General Economic & Consular Affairs.
On her appointment as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, Ms Woodward said:
I am honoured and delighted to succeed Sir Sebastian Wood and to be returning to China. I look forward to supporting further dynamic development in our bilateral trade and investment and to accelerating and deepening our cooperation across China, building up the indispensable partnership that the Prime Minister and Premier Li Keqiang reaffirmed earlier this year as the cornerstone for our security and prosperity in the 21st century.
CURRICULUM VITAE
| Full name | Ms Barbara Janet Woodward |
| 2011 – present | FCO, Director General (Economic & Consular) |
| 2009 – 2011 | UK Border Agency, International Director |
| 2003 – 2009 | Beijing, Political Counsellor, later Minister and Deputy Head of Mission |
| 2001 – 2003 | FCO, Deputy Head, Human Rights Policy Department |
| 1999 – 2001 | FCO, Head, EU Enlargement Section |
| 1998 – 1999 | FCO, Agenda 2000 Negotiating Team, EU Department |
| 1994 – 1998 | Moscow, Second later First Secretary (Commercial/Political) |
| 1994 | Joined FCO |
| 1991 - 1993 | Cabinet Office European Fast Stream, seconded to FCO EU Directorate including on 1992 EU Presidency |
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