Management Board Overseas Network Representative and British Ambassador to the Philippines

Laure Beaufils

Biography

Laure Beaufils is currently the British Ambassador to the Philippines and Palau. She was the Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa of the Department of International Development from 2019 to 2021 and the Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria from 2017 to 2019.

Previously she was the head of the UK Department of International Development in Rwanda from August 2014 to February 2017. In this capacity, she managed a $100 million portfolio of programmes focusing on economic development, governance and social sectors.

Prior to holding this position, she worked in various positions in the UK government. She was the lead strategic adviser working for the British Prime Minister in his role as co-chair of the UN Secretary General’s High Level Panel on the post-2015 development agenda. She ran the Department for International Development’s department for Overseas Territories. She led a team working on climate change. She worked for the UK mission to the UN as first secretary responsible for development. Prior to joining the UK Civil Service, she worked with the UN and civil society organisations. She also worked with the private sector as a financial auditor. She has lived and worked in Rwanda, Ethiopia, India, Cambodia, France, the UK and the USA.

Management Board Overseas Network Representative

The Management Board Overseas Network representative gives corporate leadership to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office by ensuring that the department meets the foreign policy priorities, Public Service Agreements targets and service delivery targets set by ministers.

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

British Ambassador to the Philippines

The Ambassador represents His Majesty The King and the UK government in the country to which they are appointed. They are responsible for the direction and work of the Embassy and its Consulates, including political work, trade and investment, press and cultural relations, and visa and consular services.

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Previous roles in government

  • British Ambassador-Designate to Philippines
  • Deputy High Commissioner, British Deputy High Commission Lagos
  • Head of DFID Rwanda