Press release

Change of Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Vietnam

Mr Giles Lever has been appointed Her Majesty's Ambassador to Vietnam.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government
Giles Lever

Giles Lever

He will succeed Dr Antony Stokes LVO, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Lever will take up his appointment during July 2014.

Mr Lever joined the FCO in 1990 and has worked in a wide range of roles, including in Africa, on the Middle East and North Africa, and on security issues. He has particular experience of East Asia, with previous postings in Vietnam and Japan.

On his appointment as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr Lever has said:

I’m delighted and honoured to be returning to Vietnam, the country where I started my diplomatic career, as Ambassador. It will be a great privilege to play a role in further advancing Britain’s relations with one of Asia’s most dynamic emerging powers, on the basis of the UK-Vietnam Strategic Partnership Agreement.

There are huge potential benefits to both countries from broader and deeper cooperation on a range of issues from trade and investment to education. I also look forward to the challenge of bringing my Vietnamese back up to the level demanded by this exciting agenda!

Curriculum vitae

Personal details:
Full name: Mr Giles Lever
Married to: Gill Lever
Children: One daughter, one son
Period Post
October 2011 – present Abuja, Deputy High Commissioner
2009 – 2011 Department for International Development, Head, Middle East and North Africa Department
2009 FCO, Strategy Development, Counter-Terrorism Department
2009 Erbil, Acting Consul General
2006 – 2009 FCO, Deputy Head, Iraq Group
2002 – 2006 Tokyo, First Secretary (Political), later Head, Political Section
2000 – 2002 Full-time language training (Japanese)
1997 – 2000 FCO, Head, Export Control Policy Section, Non-Proliferation Department
1993 – 1997 Hanoi, Second Secretary (Political)
1991-1992 FCO, Desk Officer, Thailand/Vietnam/Laos/Cambodia Team, South East Asia Department
1990 Joined FCO

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Published 7 January 2014