Phil Batson
Biography
Philip (Phil) Batson was Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova from April 2013 to September 2016.
Phil joined Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service in 1987. His first posting overseas was an Immigration Attaché at the British Deputy High Commission in Bombay (1991-1994). After serving in India, Phil was posted to the British Embassy Paris as Third Secretary (Political) (1995-1997), where he covered mainly Francophone African and French Overseas Territory issues.
Phil then returned to the FCO as a Second Secretary and initially working on the British Caribbean Overseas Territories (1997-1999) and later co-ordinated the UK’s participation in the first ever EU/Africa Summit in Cairo in 2000. Subsequently as First Secretary, Phil continued in the FCO’s African Directorate as Head of the Horn of Africa Section (2000-2002) and in the EU Directorate as Head of the France/Benelux Section (2002-2004). In this latter appointment he was one of the principal coordinators of two UK/France Heads of Government Summits.
Phil’s most recent overseas posting was to Tunisia as Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy Tunis (2004-2008). On return from Tunis Phil worked on a major programme of reform of the FCO’s internal corporate services (2008-2011) and then as the FCO’s principal crisis planner and coordinator for the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games.
Away from work, Phil enjoys gardening, history, sport (especially football and cricket) and music (don’t tell anyone, but he’s a big Elton John fan!).
Phil is married to Jo and they have one beautiful son, Oliver.
Previous roles in government
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British Ambassador to Moldova