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Press release

Change of Governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha: Belinda Lewis

Ms Belinda Lewis has been selected to become the next Governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.

Belinda Lewis.

Ms Belinda Lewis has been selected to become the next Governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha in succession to Mr Nigel Phillips CBE, who will be retiring from the Diplomatic Service. Ms Lewis will take up her appointment during September 2026.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Belinda Lewis 

2025 to 2026 FCDO, Director Special Projects and pre-posting preparation   
2021 to 2025 Kuwait City, His Majesty’s Ambassador   
2018 to 2021 FCO, Deputy Director, Human Resources (followed by maternity leave)   
2016 to 2018 Karachi, Deputy High Commissioner and Trade Director for Pakistan (followed by maternity leave)   
2014 to 2016 Baghdad, Deputy Head of Mission   
2012 to 2014 Lashkar Gah, Director Rule of Law and Operations, later Head of Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team   
2010 to 2012 MoJ, Deputy Director, International Justice Policy   
2009 to 2010 MoJ, Deputy Director, Information Rights Policy   
2008 to 2009 Immigration Service, Border Security and Visa Policy  
2007 Washington, Secondment to US Department of Homeland Security  
2006 to 2007 MoJ, Head of EU and International Data Policy   
2005 to 2006 MoJ, Team Leader, Information Rights Department   
2003 to 2005 DCMS, Fast Stream policy roles   
2001 to 2003 Edinburgh, Milan and London, HSBC Bank   

Media enquiries

Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

Telephone 020 7008 3100

Email the FCDO Newsdesk (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

Updates to this page

Published 12 June 2026