Peter Boxer

Biography

Peter is a career diplomat. He has been the Deputy British High Commissioner to South Africa since November 2014.

Before South Africa, he spent two and a half years out on secondment to other UK Government Departments. In May 2012 he joined the Northern Ireland Office as Deputy Director. On arrival he was joint head of the Security & Legacy Group responsible for the UK’s strategy for tackling Northern Ireland related terrorism.

After its announcement, he then led the NIO’s contribution to the G8 Summit at Lough Erne, chairing the cross-Whitehall Policing & Security Group. In early 2014, Peter left the NIO to join the UK’s National Security Secretariat where he headed the cross-Whitehall team co-ordinating delivery of the 2014 NATO Summit in South Wales.

Before this period of secondment, Peter completed two tours as Deputy Ambassador in UK Embassies overseas – Baghdad in 2011-12 and before that Morocco from 2007-11. Between 2005-7, Peter worked at the British High Commission, Islamabad where he was responsible for the external relations portfolio, notably India-Pakistan and Pakistan-Afghan relations.

Peter was Private Secretary to the UK’s Minister for Europe at the FCO from 2003-5.

In 2003, Peter was seconded to the French Foreign Ministry to assist in the preparation of their G8 Presidency and the Evian Summit.

From August 2001, Peter took a sabbatical at the Ecole Nationale d’Administration in Strasbourg and Paris. As well as the school’s Diplôme d’Administration Publique (Promotion René Cassin), he completed a Masters in Public Administration.

A (now rusty) Turkish speaker, Peter worked from 1997-2001 at the British High Commission in Nicosia.

Before joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in September 1995, Peter spent an academic year as a lecteur d’anglais at the University Paul Valéry (Montpellier III) after graduating from the University of Birmingham in 1993.

Peter is accompanied on his posting to South Africa by his wife and their two sons.

Previous roles in government

  • Chargé d'Affaires British High Commission South Africa
    • 2017 to 2017
  • British Deputy High Commissioner to South Africa
    • 2014 to 2017