Oliver Ballhatchet MBE

Biography

Oliver Ballhatchet MBE is His Majesty’s deputy trade commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean, based in Mexico City.

Oliver joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2004, initially working on counterterrorism, then Western Balkans, before heading to the British Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil to work on energy and global climate change.

In 2011, Oliver moved to the British Consulate-General in Rio de Janeiro, as political consul. During his 9 years in Brazil, he was also the Olympic and Paralympic attaché for the British teams at the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. For this work Oliver was awarded an MBE in the 2017 New Year Honours List. He then spent time in London serving as the deputy head of the UK government’s UN Peacekeeping Joint Unit.

Before becoming deputy trade commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean, Oliver served 5 years as British deputy high commissioner (head of post) in Chennai and deputy director for investment for the British High Commission network in India.

Oliver has both a degree and an honorary doctorate in law. He sat on the local advisory committee to both the 2019 and 2023 Street Child Cricket World Cups.

Previous roles in government

  • British Deputy High Commissioner Chennai
    • 2019 to 2024