Transparency data
Honorary awards to foreign nationals in 2025
Updated 16 October 2025
© Crown copyright 2025
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/honorary-british-awards-to-foreign-nationals-2025/honorary-awards-to-foreign-nationals-in-2025
His Majesty The King has been graciously pleased to approve the following honorary British awards in 2025:
The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (Civil Division)
Honorary KCMG
| Name | Role | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| John Forbes KERRY | Former US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate | For services to Tackling Climate Change |
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Civil Division)
Honorary CBE
| Name | Role | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Joshua BELL | Music Director, Academy of St Martin in the Fields | For services to Music |
| Thomas Joseph CAHILL | Former Chief Executive, Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust | For services to Mental Health |
| Professor Bart DE STROOPER | Professor in Dementia Research at the University College London and Francis Crick Institute; Founding Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute | For services to Dementia research in the UK and internationally |
| Dr Sunshik MIN | Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of YBM | For services to UK/South Korea relations and UK Higher Education |
| Christine SCHWARZMAN | Founder and President of No Guarantees Productions | For services to UK Arts |
Honorary OBE
| Name | Role | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Peter BEDDY | Former Trustee and Chair of Finance Committee, British Council; Former Chair, English Touring Opera; Director and Chair of Finance Committee, London Symphony Orchestra | For services to Arts and Culture in the UK |
| Michael HADJICONSTANTAS | Senior Crown Counsel, Sovereign Base Areas, Cyprus | For services to Defence and to law enforcement |
| Maria Gertrude HINFELAAR | Former Vice Chancellor, Wrexham University | For services to Higher Education |
| Atsushi HORIBA | Chairman & Group CEO HORIBA Ltd | For services to the UK automotive sector |
| Karl JOHN | Offshore Wind Specialist, Department for Business and Trade | For services to Offshore Wind Investment and Supply Chain Development in the UK |
| Derek KILMER | Former US Congressman, US House of Representatives | For services to UK/US relations |
| Masayoshi MATSUMOTO | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd | For services to UK/Japan trade and investment |
| Darragh MCCARTHY | Founder and Chief Executive Officer, FinTrU Ltd | For services to the Economy in Northern Ireland |
| Santiago OÑATE LABORDE | Former Lead of Investigation and Attribution Team, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons | For services to International Diplomacy and the Rule of Law |
| Professor Dimitra SIMEONIDOU, FREng | Director, Smart Internet Lab, University of Bristol | For services to Communications Technologies research and scientific policy |
| Ana Paula DENTE VITELLI | Former President, British Chamber of Commerce, Brazil | For services to British business in Brazil |
| Dr Zoé WHITLEY | Art historian & Curator | For services to Art |
Honorary MBE
| Name | Role | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Geert Prosper Paul BEKAERT | Area Director Central and Southern Europe, Commonwealth War Graves Commission | For services to UK and Commonwealth First and Second World War commemorations |
| Carla BRADSHAW-VAN DEN AKKER | SRMA for the Department for Education, Chair of the Federation of the Church Schools of Shalfleet and Freshwater & Yarmouth, and Chair of Ed-WISE Isle of Wight | For services to Education |
| Miriam Patricia BROWN | Honorary Secretary and Vice President, London Irish Amateur Rugby Football Club | For services to Grassroots Sport |
| Bao CAO | Director Corporate Compliance, British Council Vietnam | For services to UK cultural relations in Vietnam |
| Lynn CARVILL | Chief Executive Officer WOMEN’STEC and Chair and Founder, Northern Ireland Women’s Budget Group | For services to the Economy in Northern Ireland |
| Martina CUMMINS | Clinical Director Infection Prevention and Control, Bart’s Health NHS Trust | For services to Infection Prevention and Patient Safety |
| Young Hwoon (Herb) KIM | Technology Champion, Northern England | For Services to Technology in Northern England |
| Justyna KUBICA | Director Defence & Security Exports, British Embassy Warsaw | For services to UK/Poland Defence relations |
| Teresa McCARTHY-DIXON | Founder, The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation | For services to the community in Northamptonshire |
| Darren O’BRIEN | Deputy Head, Retail, South-Eastern Railway | For services to the Victims of Domestic Abuse |
| Lucas PARREIRA LORINI | Director, Market Access & Implementation, Latin America & Caribbean, Department for Business and Trade | For services to trade and investment |
| Grant Elliott RODNEY | Retired Lead for Paediatric Anaesthesia and Paediatric Surgical Services, Ninewells Hospital, NHS Tayside | For services to Children’s Anaesthesia and Surgery, Dundee, Scotland |
| Geraldine ROSEBERRY | Foster Carer, London Borough of Redbridge | For services to Foster Care |
| Maria da Anunciação Luísa de SÁ CARNEIRO SOARES BEIRĂO | National Director, Duke of Edinburgh International Award Portugal | For services to The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award in Portugal |
| Beatrix SCHLARB-RIDLEY | Director of Innovation and Impact, British Antarctic Survey | For services to Innovation and Inclusion in Science |
| Paul SENGER-WEISS | Supervisory Board Chair Gebrüder Weiss, Honorary Consul Vorarlberg | For services to British nationals in Austria and to UK/Austria relations |
| Zhanna SEVASTIANOVA | Head of English and School Education, British Council Ukraine | For services in support of UK/Ukraine cultural relations |
| Rakiya SULEIMAN | Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead, NHS Lothian | For services to Eliminating Discrimination and Advancing Equality |
| Dr Elizabeth TISSINGH | Orthopaedic Surgeon and Head of King’s College London Global Health Partnerships’ work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo | For services to Health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Peter WALLROTH | Founder and Chief Executive, Mummy’s Star | For services to Women’s Cancer Support |
Honorary BEM
| Name | Role | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Bashir AHMED | Chair, Pathfinderhub | For services to the Bangladeshi community in the UK |
| Andreja ANŽUR ČERNIČ | Chair, MEPI (The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award in Slovenia) | For services to UK-Slovenia bilateral relations |
| Moumini BAMOGO | Gardener, British Embassy Abidjan | For services to the British Embassy in Abidjan |
| Heike BATES | Caterer, HM Prison Full Sutton | For Public Service |
| Dr Caroline DOWSETT | Nurse Consultant, East London NHS Foundation Trust | For services to the NHS |
| Ali FAKIEH | Embassy Driver, British Embassy Beirut | For services to the British Embassy in Beirut |
| Noel FRANKLIN | Chairman Royal British Legion, Wexford | For services to the Royal British Legion in Ireland |
| Pere GARRIGA SOLÀ | Mayor of Arbúcies, Spain | For services to the memory of British nationals in Spain |
| Sarah GOLER SOLECKI | Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Engagement and Change Manager, Medical Research Council | For services to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Medical Research |
| Lyubov KOSTOVA | Member of Board of Trustees, Beautiful Science Foundation | For services to UK Science and Education |
| Arunima KUMAR | Dancer, Teacher and Choreographer | For services to Indian classical dance and community |
| Bridget Patricia MAHON | Hotelier | For services to the community in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea |
| Anders MANKERT | Golf coach and PGA Master Professional | For services to Golf and to People with Disabilities |
| Nain Bala MINHAS | Director, Networking Key Services Limited | For services to empowering people experiencing Isolation and Deprivation in Edinburgh |
| Pedro Jose MOLINA LOPEZ | Driver, British Embassy, Spain | For services to the British Embassy in Spain |
| Timo PESONEN | Residence Chef, British Embassy Helsinki | For services to the British Embassy Helsinki |
| Marie REILLY | Shared Lives Coordinator, London Borough of Islington | For services to supporting families |
| Albert SIFRAR | Gardener, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Klagenfurt | For services to First and Second World War commemorations |
| Michele UPTON | Lately Head of Maternity and Newborn Safety, NHS England | For services to Patient Safety in Maternity and Neonatal Services |
| William WRIGHT | Chief Creative Officer, Galveston Historic Foundation | For services to UK/US relations |